Generation Z travellers are choosing affordable Asian countries like Thailand while Millennials head to Australia, according to a booking study reported by Euronews.
Youth travel agency Adventure360 analyzed more than 4,700 bookings made over the past year to determine how holiday choices differ between younger and older adults. Researchers evaluated each destination based on its share of bookings within each demographic group.
Thailand emerged as the clear favorite for Generation Z, featuring in 29.2 percent of all bookings made by that age group. That figure represented the highest percentage recorded for any country across both age brackets. Australia took first place among Millennials, chosen in 17.8 percent of bookings, while Thailand placed second for Millennials at 17.4 percent.
The study highlighted distinct preferences between Generation Z, generally defined as individuals born from the late 1990s to early 2010s, and Millennials, born from the early 1980s to mid 1990s. Cambodia, Laos, and New Zealand ranked among the top 10 destinations for Generation Z, but none of those countries entered the Millennial top 10. Conversely, Japan, Greece, and Iceland reached the top 10 for Millennials while failing to rank near the top choices for Generation Z.
Viral Social Media Content Shapes Choice
Adventure360 travel experts attributed the surge in popularity of Southeast Asian countries among Generation Z partly to viral trends on social media platforms such as TikTok. In Cambodia, online videos depicting travellers recreating the Temple Run mobile game inside the corridors of the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex gathered more than two million views. Long Beach on Koh Rong island in Cambodia also went viral this year after being listed among the top 10 beaches in the world.
In Laos, online videos showcasing the turquoise Kuang Si waterfalls attracted millions of views from users adding the site to their travel wishlists. While travellers previously added Cambodia and Laos as secondary extensions to trips focused on Thailand or Vietnam, study data indicated that tourists increasingly book standalone, intentional journeys to those nations. The growth is fueled by social media inspiration alongside low travel costs, particularly cheap lodging.
Affordability remains a central draw for both generations visiting Thailand, which has served as a global backpacker hub for decades. The Thai island of Koh Tao, for example, is recognized as the most affordable location globally to obtain a scuba diving certification. Meanwhile, New Zealand ranked ninth among Generation Z travellers due to working holiday visas that allow passport holders aged 18 to 35 to remain in the country for up to 36 months. New Zealand dropped off the Millennial list entirely as many members of that generation no longer satisfy the age requirement.
Crowd Avoidance and Budget Differences
Younger travellers are also prioritizing quieter destinations to escape overcrowded tourist hotspots. Data from travel search engine Skyscanner revealed that 76 percent of Generation Z respondents were willing to select an obscure destination instead of a famous landmark. Additionally, 51 percent stated they deliberately planned quieter holidays due to overtourism, with one in three reporting that overcrowding had previously ruined a vacation.
Financial considerations further influence destination choices between the two age groups. Although 60 percent of British Generation Z travellers expect to travel abroad more frequently this year, only 45 percent plan to allocate more money toward flights, automatically ruling out higher-cost destinations. By contrast, higher disposable income allows Millennials to absorb the costs of pricier destinations such as Japan, Greece, and Iceland.
Jane McLellan-Green, a travel expert at Adventure360, said Iceland and Japan were the two destinations her Millennial clients requested most often. She noted that a five-pound coffee, equivalent to 5.85 euros, in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik would rarely interest a Generation Z traveller when that amount could pay for a hostel bed in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. She added that Millennials were much more willing to pay those higher prices.
Complete Ranking of Top Destinations
The top 10 destinations chosen by Generation Z travellers were Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Peru, the Philippines, New Zealand, and Morocco.
The top 10 destinations chosen by Millennial travellers were Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Peru, Morocco, Greece, Iceland, and Vietnam.
Bangkok Tops Global Nightlife Rankings
In related travel news, Bangkok was named the best city in the world for nightlife in 2026 following a survey conducted by Time Out. The survey polled more than 24,000 residents across 150 cities worldwide, scoring destinations on evening entertainment affordability, liveliness, diversity, and safety after dark. Berlin took second place overall, leading all European cities in the ranking.
