What Gen Z and millennial travelers are seeking in 2024

By Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse

Younger travelers, Gen Zers and Millennials, are driving many of the travel trends forecast for 2024. One company, FTLO Travel — which caters specifically to solo travelers in their 20s and 30s with slow travel-style itineraries — has formed an unusually deep understanding of the evolving preferences of today’s young travelers and how they choose to explore the world.

In fact, its unique products and proposition have led the brand to grow by more than 500% in the last two years. FTLO shared several of the trends for this year that it’s seeing among younger generations with TravelPulse, with insights based on its own bookings database and research from credible outside sources.

Digital detox

Findings from Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2024 report indicate a growing interest in “Analog Travel” among younger travelers, with a notable 31% of 18-to-24-year-old Americans opting for non-digital cameras on their journeys. User searches for “digital detox” are also on the rise, up 80% on Pinterest.

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Recognizing the impact of smartphones on travel experiences, FTLO Travel has introduced cell phone-free departures in 2024. In doing so, it aims to foster deeper connections among fellow travelers, and a more profound immersion in and appreciation of local cultures.

Banishing loneliness

Loneliness has become a prevalent issue in the U.S., with the Surgeon General even going as far as to label it an epidemic. This is particularly true among young adults under the age of 30, with approximately 25% reporting significant feelings of loneliness, according to a recent Gallup poll. Remote and hybrid work setups have further exacerbated feelings of isolation, with over half (53%) of Americans who work hybrid hours struggling to connect with their coworkers, Pew Research Center found.

It’s unsurprising, then, that Skift’s Megatrends 2024 report predicts a surge in itineraries that facilitate more, and more authentic and meaningful, connections with both fellow travelers and destination locals this year. And while searches for solo travel are up an astonishing 145%, according to Pinterest, traveling solo does not always mean traveling alone, especially when guests join a group tour with like-minded participants.

FTLO Travel has discovered that group travel serves as a highly effective remedy to this plague of loneliness, facilitating genuine connections among participants. The brand’s post-trip surveys have conclusively found that the friendships formed during these trips have significant impacts on people’s lives that often extend well beyond the trip itself.

Slow, responsible travel

Supporting Pinterest’s prediction of a rise in slow travel, Skift has also forecast the increased popularity of unique itineraries that encourage travelers to engage with locals in their destinations.

FTLO has found that its most sought-after trip activities include exploring local cuisines and participating in local cultural experiences. Therefore, with a focus on slow, responsible tourism, FTLO’s trips prioritize free time for participants to immerse themselves in and explore local communities, and partake in one-of-a-kind adventures.