Gen Z's the Hero in the Travel Industry's COVID-19 Comeback
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — It can’t just be me who gets rubbed the wrong way when I see someone traveling on their Instagram Story. Prior to the pandemic, Instagram was filled with real-time photos overlooking the wings of Boeing and Airbus aircraft from 30,000ft in the sky. But, now it’s a rarity. So when you do see it, it stands out. I immediately experience a laundry list of thoughts when I see it. “Should this person be traveling? I hope they’re following the guidelines. Yikes! Wait, can I travel right now? Could I be on a vacation?!” For better or worse, I’m staring at my phone like: 👁👄👁.
And I’m not alone. Google Trends displays ‘breakout’ in regards to search interest for the first 25 queries related to the term “travel.” This includes, “coronavirus travel,” “covid travel restrictions,” “coronavirus travel restrictions,” and “travel restrictions by state.” People clearly want to know what they can and cannot do when it comes to traveling in a pandemic; but apparently no age group is as ready to get back up into the sky, on the road, and into far away places more than Generation Z.
Fluent, Inc. released a report titled Future of Travel which shows Gen Z as the generation the travel industry will be relying on in order to make its COVID-19 comeback. Gen Z was noted in the report as the age group most likely to travel this past summer. Additionally, when “compared to other generations Gen Zers feel most comfortable flying within the next 6 months or less,” according to the report.
And this isn’t to say that Gen Z is careless about the risks of transmission, or the harmful affects of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. A news article from the Adventure Travel Trade Association shared that “although Gen Z is concerned with the dangers of COVID-19, they will still travel, while making attempts to mitigate the risks as much as possible. Similar to most other travelers, Gen Z members are taking road trips and in-state vacations, giving them safer travel opportunities.”
It seems like this is the one thing that the coronavirus tried to fully squash, but Gen Z’s resistance and persistence has proved to not let the virus win in this regard just yet. AirlineRatings.com explains it best in a published piece titled Covid Fails to Crush Travel Desire. Official Aviation Guide’s Chief Analyst John Grant said, “Most consumers, especially younger travelers, are prepared to fly under the right circumstances.” He went on to explain that the industry’s full recovery fate is dependent on our global battle with the coronavirus, and the travel restrictions attached to that.