Gen Z Has Conflicting Takes on Sustainability, Tourism

Newsweek

09-07-2025

The youngest generation of adults wants to explore the world, but at what cost to the environment they claim to care for? Although surveys indicate that Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, are more eco-conscious, the data shows conflicting numbers.
A recent report by Barclays revealed that Gen Z buyers are prioritizing their spending at businesses that align with their values, particularly in terms of political, social and environmental issues. The Barclays Consumer Spend survey also revealed that they prioritize spending money on experiences that will result in lasting memories.
For many, travel hits on both levels, and they're not willing to compromise.
"This idea that the young people say, 'Mom and Dad, what did you do to the planet?' Why are they saying that?" Xavier Font, professor at the University of Surrey and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, told the assembled crowd of over 120 attendees at Newsweek's New Destinations event in London last week.
They are asking because they want to do more travels that are potentially hazardous to the environment, Font said. "The new generations are flying much more, and for shorter times for longer distances than any other generation before. [The] cost of living crisis [coming out of] COVID has just meant that people want to take shorter, cheaper, but further holidays."
Young man taking a selfie with mobile smart phone hiking mountains.
Young man taking a selfie with mobile smart phone hiking mountains.
iStockphoto/Getty
The travelers at the heart of this trend are Gen Z. "Look at the Gen Zs. What I'm hearing from my own daughter, from all her friends, is, 'If I take a full time job, how quickly can I have six months sabbatical before I can start traveling?'," Font told Newsweek's audience.
He also explained that some Gen Zs are quitting one job, getting another and taking an extended travel break in between.
"Anybody who's had a teenager in the house who basically says they care about the planet, just care how long they spend in the shower, and that will tell you something about how much they care about the planet," Font continued.
He said: "I think there's a lot said, and what's done is actually very different. Every time you look at another survey from yet another company says, 'What percentage of people in Europe want to save the planet?' Come on, it's like somebody asking a question, 'Aaron, from one to 10, are you a good parent?' What are we all going to say in a survey? So don't trust a lot of data you can see right now. And stop all of the surveys and all the work, they just point the finger at somebody else. Responsible travel means we all do this, we point at ourselves rather than saying, 'What should somebody else do?' I need to ask myself, 'What should I do?'"
Lyn Hughes, editor of Wanderlust magazine, informed the audience that in the magazine's annual survey, 75 percent of respondents, in a variety age groups, expressed interest in sustainable travel. "But, when we actually asked them if their own travels were sustainable, they didn't know," she said, pointing to an education gap.
"What you can't do is guilt trip people," she continued. "You can't make them feel bad about their holidays, and it's very unlikely they are going to choose something because it's seen as a sustainable holiday, certainly at this stage, things may change over the years, but what we can do is guide them in the choices, say, organizations, destinations and so on."