China’s Gen Z Travel Surge: A New Era Of Long-haul Vacations And Rich Cultural Experiences In Europe And Beyond

Published on October 9, 2025

While nan National Day vacation and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays were taking place, Gen Z again distinguished itself by becoming nan cardinal group influencing nan recreation trends wrong nan country. Gen Z is besides nan ascendant group wrong nan increasing recreation market, influencing nan marketplace positively for much enriching and immersive recreation experiences, arsenic good arsenic for much distant recreation locations. Such a melodramatic displacement successful nan astir requested recreation experiences and locations is suggestive of nan astir important alteration successful preferences of vacation traveler successful China. Gen Z is undeniably nan astir influential cardinal driver of nan astir anticipated changes successful nan recreation market.

Gen Z: The Driving Force Behind Travel Trends

Data from Fliggy reveals a singular 14.6% year-on-year summation successful nan worth of vacation activities, driven mostly by nan younger demographic. This surge successful recreation activity is reflected successful nan maturation of bookings for hotels, packaged tours, and attraction tickets, pinch per capita bookings rising by 4.6%. These numbers underscore nan expanding power of Gen Z travelers, who are progressively seeking much than conscionable basal recreation experiences. Instead, they are looking for rich, culturally immersive trips that align pinch their desire for escapade and exploration.

According to Fliggy, Gen Z travelers accounted for almost a 4th of each bookings during nan vacation season. Notably, travelers calved aft 2005, including those still successful college, are becoming a cardinal conception of independent travelers. Their bookings accrued by a staggering 61% compared to 2024. This emergence reflects their increasing desire for long-haul recreation and much meaningful vacation experiences.

A Shift from Budget to Experience-Driven Travel

Historically, galore Chinese travelers, peculiarly younger ones, gravitated toward budget-friendly options. However, Gen Z is mounting caller trends by prioritizing experiences complete cost. This procreation is progressively moving distant from short, budget-focused trips and alternatively opting for much expensive, long-haul vacations that connection a deeper relationship to their destinations.

Fliggy’s information shows that younger travelers are peculiarly willing successful exploring off-the-beaten-path locations that connection unsocial experiences, often favoring destinations that let them to immerse themselves successful section cultures, foods, and activities. This procreation is progressively rejecting wide tourism successful favour of much authentic and personalized journeys. The consequence is simply a increasing request for tailored itineraries, boutique accommodations, and locally guided tours.

Popular Destinations for Gen Z Travelers

As Gen Z’s preferences evolve, their prime of destinations has besides shifted. While celebrated Asian spots for illustration Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and South Korea stay favorites, long-haul recreation has seen a important uptick. Notable destinations for Gen Z travelers during nan vacation play included France, Australia, nan United States, and Indonesia—regions that connection a operation of culture, history, and divers experiences.

The inclination toward long-haul recreation is not conscionable constricted to Western destinations. Smaller and mid-sized cities successful regions for illustration Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and East and Southeast Asia person seen a surge successful bookings. According to Fliggy, bookings to these destinations doubled during nan caller vacation period, a clear parameter that Gen Z is looking to task beyond emblematic tourer basking spots.

This displacement successful penchant presents caller opportunities for some established and emerging recreation destinations. Cities and regions that whitethorn person antecedently been overshadowed by much celebrated locations are now seeing accrued attraction from Chinese tourists. For example, while Paris and Sydney stay iconic, places for illustration Lyon successful France, Wellington successful New Zealand, and lesser-known regions of South Korea are gaining popularity.

Impact connected nan Travel Industry

The rising power of Gen Z connected China’s recreation marketplace is apt to person a profound effect connected nan broader tourism industry. As this procreation continues to turn successful economical powerfulness and influence, their preferences will style nan offerings of recreation companies, airlines, hotels, and circuit operators.

For recreation agencies and platforms, nan cardinal takeaway is clear: Gen Z is looking for much than conscionable a vacation. They are looking for experiences that align pinch their values, specified arsenic sustainability, taste immersion, and authenticity. As a result, recreation brands will request to accommodate to meet these expectations. From offering eco-friendly options to crafting much personalized itineraries, nan recreation manufacture will request to germinate to cater to nan desires of this tech-savvy and experience-driven generation.

The Role of Technology successful Gen Z Travel Choices

Gen Z is simply a digitally autochthonal generation, and their recreation choices are heavy influenced by technology. Fliggy’s information highlights nan value of online platforms successful facilitating recreation bookings and providing a seamless acquisition for young travelers. Mobile apps, integer costs services, and societal media person go cardinal devices successful shaping recreation decisions.

For instance, platforms for illustration WeChat, Alipay, and Fliggy’s ain mobile services let Gen Z travelers to easy book flights, accommodation, and activities. Social media platforms, peculiarly Weibo, Instagram, and TikTok, besides play a important domiciled successful shaping their recreation aspirations. Gen Z travelers often look to influencers and online contented for recreation inspiration, seeking destinations that align pinch nan experiences they spot online.

As a result, recreation companies request to heighten their integer beingness to pull Gen Z consumers. Leveraging societal media marketing, influencer partnerships, and user-generated contented tin thief brands link pinch this assemblage connected a deeper level.

The Growing Demand for Sustainable and Authentic Travel

In summation to seeking unsocial experiences, Gen Z travelers are besides placing a greater accent connected sustainability and responsible tourism. According to Fliggy’s findings, this procreation is much apt to take destinations and recreation experiences that are eco-friendly and culturally sensitive. They are progressively alert of nan biology effect of their recreation choices and are much apt to support businesses that beforehand sustainability.

This displacement towards responsible tourism presents a situation for destinations and businesses that are not yet equipped to cater to these demands. However, it besides opens up caller opportunities for those that prioritize sustainable practices, specified arsenic eco-friendly hotels, c offset programs, and tours that support section communities.

Looking Forward: The Future of Chinese Travel

As Gen Z continues to predominate nan recreation scene, nan early of Chinese tourism looks promising, pinch a increasing attraction connected longer, much enriching trips that spell beyond nan emblematic sightseeing experience. Travel companies and destinations that are capable to accommodate to nan changing preferences of this demographic—by offering authentic experiences, leveraging technology, and emphasizing sustainability—will beryllium well-positioned for occurrence successful nan years to come.

The emergence of Gen Z arsenic nan ascendant unit successful Chinese recreation is reshaping nan world tourism landscape, pinch much attraction connected divers and immersive recreation experiences. As this procreation matures, their power will only proceed to grow, making them a cardinal demographic for some home and world tourism industries to watch.

Gen Z’s Influence Reshapes nan Future of Chinese Travel and Tourism

Traveling patterns offered during China’s National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival break demonstrates nan value of nan Gen Z demographic successful travel’s evolution. Their liking successful much integrated, tailored recreation options, environmentally conscious tourism, and longer haul recreation drives alteration successful nan industry. The accommodation and Gen Z targeted tourism marketplace encouraged much authentic and adventure-laden options. As nan marketplace changes, some mainstream and upcoming tourer attractions will quickly converge specified that nan offering of recreation to Gen Z will connection much genuine and adventure-infused options compared to erstwhile recreation generations.