What’s next for travel: Measuring Gen Z interest for travel in the metaverse

The world is a big place and technologies such as the metaverse make it possible to experience a taste of different travel activities and destinations. The metaverse represents a virtual world where digital lives are played out via virtual reality, augmented reality, PCs, video game consoles and smart phones.

It represents a unique opportunity for many business categories and may play an impactful role in changing traveler interactions with brands and destinations. As with many new technologies, young people tend to be more aware of what the metaverse is and curious about how they can use it.

Roughly two-thirds (65%) of all Gen Z in the US and UK say they have heard of the metaverse, 9 points above the awareness level among all consumers in the US and UK (56%).

The intersection of Gen Z travel and the metaverse

According to a YouGov report on Gen Z and travel behaviors, nearly a fifth (18%) of Gen Z in the US and a quarter (24%) of those in the UK say they would be interested in using the metaverse to visit a destination they’d like to go to in real life.

The fact that travel ranks as the second most popular activity of metaverse interests—only behind playing video games in this virtual world —shows the market potential for travel brands to explore a metaverse business strategy and engage this group of young people.

So what travel activities are they interested in most?

When we look at the specific travel experiences they are interested in, Gen Z consumers have the most appetite for visiting cities they’ve never been to (31% in the US and 29% in the UK) and exploring remote or exotic destinations (26% in both the US and UK).

The data also points to an opportunity for travel and media brands to collaborate on a metaverse strategy. A fifth (19%) of US and UK Gen Z say they want to visit a place they’ve seen in movies or television.

American Gen Zs are more likely than their UK counterparts to be interested in dining and hotel experiences (22% in the US vs. 14% in the UK). Significantly, in the US, more Gen Z consumers are open to dining and social experiences in a hotel and experiencing business or first-class cabins on airplanes than adults in any other age category. This data highlights significant opportunities for hotel brands, airlines, tourism boards and travel agencies looking to capitalize on the benefits of metaverse marketing.

For more travel data into the most fluid and digitally engaged generation to date, get YouGov’s full Gen Z report. Inside the report, travel brands and marketers can learn more about:

• Gen Z’s attitudes towards life in general and the issues that matter most to them
• Domestic and international travel intention among Gen Z in 25 markets
• Their preferred accommodation types—from hotels to rented apartments—while traveling
• What experiences they want from their next trip
• Which channels to engage with and reach Gen Z
• Their views on luxury and sustainable travel

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