This is exactly what they should be doing[1]:
Yet unlike past generations, Gen Zs aren’t waiting until they have high-paying jobs or a nest egg of savings to travel. Rather, “they are finding ways to fit it into their budgets now,” according to Morning Consult’s report on Gen Z travel trends.
Source: Gen Z travel trends: Travel often, save money and seek adventure
Generation Z now just barely surpasses Millennials, who travel more than Gen Xers, who travel more than Baby Boomers.
What Gen Z seeks in travel:
Gen Zs increasingly want their travel experiences to be meaningful, according to a survey of 4,000 full-time students by the travel tech company StudentUniverse.
Some 68% of respondents, aged 18 to 25, said they were interested in experiencing a new culture, while only 21% were in search of nightlife and clubbing.
[1] I posted on this just 5 weeks ago:
Gen Z can do this travel, more so than past generations, because of today’s labor shortage. In 1960, the US fertility rate was about 3.75, meaning typical families had about 4 kids. By 1973, the fertility rate had fallen to less than 2.1 (the population replacement level) and has remained below that ever since, now less than 1.8. The “Baby Boom” generation and most of the “X” generation entered a highly competitive labor market, the largest young new worker cohorts in history. Most were not in a position to take time out from work and travel – the job market did not support that.
As Business Insider wrote: “Ever since the baby boom that followed World War II, companies have enjoyed a never-ending supply of workers to tap. Hate your job? Fine — we’ll just replace you with one of the hundred others who would be happy to fill your shoes. The abundance of workers made them cheap — and disposable.“
Unemployment hit about 11% in 1980 and would remain above 6% for nearly a decade. Workers were cheap and plentiful.
Fast forward to 2023 – and we are in the midst of a labor shortage. Gen Z can, in fact, take time out to travel and develop global skills, and they should.
A lot more at this post: How to show you know nothing of history without saying you know nothing of history.
[1] I wrote about why it is foolish for most people to postpone having travel experiences until they are older in early March: