Travel: Young Brits plan big holiday spends this year despite cost of living crisis
- InsightTrendsWorld
- Mar 28
- 8 min read
Why the Topic is Trending
Post-Pandemic Behaviour: A continued trend of prioritizing travel ("revenge travel" or making up for lost time) following pandemic restrictions.
Generational Spending Habits: Highlights the distinct spending priorities of younger generations (Gen Z, Millennials) compared to older cohorts, particularly valuing experiences.
Economic Paradox: The seemingly contradictory behaviour of increasing discretionary spending on big-ticket items like holidays amidst a widely reported cost of living crisis makes it newsworthy.
Influence of Media: Underscores the powerful role of social media and entertainment in shaping consumer desires and spending, especially among younger demographics.
Overview
Despite ongoing economic pressures in the UK, research highlighted by Aviva reveals a strong intention among young British adults (Gen Z and Millennials) to prioritize and even increase their spending on holidays in 2025. This trend shows a significant portion of these generations planning larger budgets, often influenced by social media and popular culture, although a concerning minority neglects travel insurance.
Detailed Findings (from the article/Aviva research)
Nearly half of Gen Z (47%) and Millennials (46%) plan to spend more on holidays in 2025 than in previous years.
A large majority (83%) of all UK adults intend to take a holiday in 2025.
The 25-34 age group (Millennials) anticipates spending significantly more, with an average overseas holiday budget of £5,400, compared to the national average of £4,000.
Social media and popular TV shows are cited as major influences on destination choices for these younger demographics.
11% of British holidaymakers travel without purchasing travel insurance.
The average financial loss from a cancelled trip is over £900, highlighting the risk of not being insured.
Key Takeaway
Younger British generations (Gen Z and Millennials) are demonstrating remarkable resilience in their desire for travel experiences, prioritizing holidays and allocating substantial budgets for them in 2025, heavily influenced by digital media trends, even when facing broader economic challenges.
Main Trend
Name: Experiential Spending Resilience
Description: This trend signifies the tendency, particularly among younger demographics like Gen Z and Millennials, to maintain or increase spending on experiences, such as travel, despite adverse economic conditions or cost-of-living pressures. It reflects a strong prioritization of creating memories, escapism, and personal enrichment through experiences over other forms of discretionary spending.
What is Consumer Motivation
Desire for Experiences: A fundamental preference for 'doing' rather than 'having,' valuing memories and personal growth from travel.
Escapism: Seeking breaks from routine and stress, particularly potent during challenging economic times.
Social Influence & FOMO: Inspiration drawn from social media and entertainment, coupled with a fear of missing out on perceived travel norms or trends shared online.
Post-Pandemic Urgency: A continued desire to make up for travel opportunities lost during pandemic restrictions.
Well-being: Viewing holidays as essential for mental health and recharging.
What is Driving the Trend
Cultural Shift: Increased societal value placed on experiences and personal well-being.
Digital Influence: Constant exposure to curated travel content on social media and in entertainment fuels desire and provides inspiration.
Pent-Up Demand: Lingering effects from pandemic travel limitations.
Accessibility of Planning/Booking: Easier online tools for finding deals and planning trips might encourage commitment.
Shifting Priorities: Potential reallocation of funds away from other discretionary spending areas or long-term savings towards immediate experiences.
What is Motivation Beyond the Trend
Identity Formation & Exploration: Using travel to discover oneself, explore different cultures, and broaden horizons.
Social Connection: Traveling with friends/partners or meeting new people; sharing experiences reinforces social bonds.
Personal Enrichment: Gaining new perspectives, learning, and developing life skills.
Status and Storytelling: Collecting experiences to share (often online), contributing to one's personal narrative and social image.
Description of Consumers Article is Referring To
Age: Primarily Gen Z (roughly late teens to mid-20s in 2025) and Millennials (roughly mid-20s to early 40s in 2025). The article specifically highlights the 25-34 age group for highest average budget.
Gender: Not specified in the summary; likely includes both males and females.
Income: Varies, but implies a willingness to allocate significant funds to travel (£5,400 average budget for 25-34s suggests access to considerable disposable income or willingness to finance/save specifically for this purpose).
Lifestyle: Digitally connected, active on social media, influenced by online trends and popular culture (TV shows). They prioritize experiences and are willing to spend substantially on travel despite potential economic constraints elsewhere in their lives. Based in the UK.
Conclusions
The research indicates a robust demand for travel among young Brits in 2025, driven by a strong desire for experiences and amplified by digital media. This cohort is willing to invest significantly in holidays, viewing them as a priority. However, a concerning gap exists in travel insurance uptake, suggesting a potential disconnect between high spending and risk management.
Implications for Brands (Travel, Finance, Insurance)
Travel Companies: Significant opportunity to target Gen Z/Millennials via social media, influencer marketing, and content reflecting popular culture. Focus on unique, shareable experiences.
Finance Companies: Potential market for travel-related savings products or responsible credit options.
Insurance Companies: Urgent need to better communicate the value and necessity of travel insurance to this demographic, potentially using channels and messaging that resonate more effectively (e.g., digital platforms, relatable scenarios).
Implications for Society
Reflects potentially shifting generational values towards prioritizing experiences over material goods or traditional saving patterns.
May exacerbate financial precarity if high spending isn't matched by income or adequate financial planning/protection (insurance).
Reinforces the significant impact of social media and entertainment on consumption patterns and aspirations.
Implications for Consumers
Opportunity to gain desired travel experiences and personal enrichment.
Risk of overspending, accumulating debt, or facing significant financial loss if uninsured events occur (cancellations, medical emergencies abroad).
Potential social pressure to travel and spend based on online trends.
Implication for Future
Likely continued strength in the "experience economy," particularly travel targeting younger demographics.
Travel brands will need ever-more sophisticated digital marketing strategies.
Potential innovation needed in the travel insurance sector to increase uptake among younger travellers.
Ongoing societal discussion about generational spending priorities and financial well-being.
Consumer Trend
Name: Prioritized Experience Economy
Detailed Description: Consumers, especially younger ones, consciously allocating a significant portion of their discretionary budget towards purchasing experiences (like travel, events, dining) rather than physical goods. This reflects a value system where creating memories and personal enrichment is highly prized, often seen as an essential component of a fulfilling life.
Consumer Sub Trend
Name: Screen-Inspired Wanderlust
Detailed Description: Travel decisions (destination choice, activities, style) being heavily influenced or directly triggered by content consumed on social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok) and through popular entertainment media like TV series and movies. The visual and narrative appeal of destinations presented digitally drives desire and booking behaviour.
Big Social Trend
Name: Post-Materialist Prioritization
Detailed Description: A broader societal shift, particularly noticeable in younger generations in developed economies, where values move away from accumulating material possessions towards seeking personal growth, well-being, and memorable experiences as primary markers of a successful and happy life.
Worldwide Social Trend
Name: Global Experience Consumption
Detailed Description: The increasing global phenomenon where consumers across diverse cultures and economies participate in the "experience economy," facilitated by digital connectivity, easier travel, and the universal appeal of sharing experiences online, making it a significant driver of global consumer spending.
Social Drive
Name: Drive for Memorable Experiences
Detailed Description: An underlying human motivation to seek novelty, escape routine, explore, and create lasting positive memories. In contemporary society, this drive is amplified by digital media's ability to showcase possibilities and the cultural emphasis placed on living a 'full' life documented through experiences.
Learnings for Brands to Use in 2025
Acknowledge Travel as Priority: Understand that for Gen Z/Millennials, travel is often seen as essential, not just a luxury, even in tough times.
Leverage Digital Influence: Recognize the power of social media and entertainment; align marketing with relevant trends and platforms.
Highlight Shareability: Frame travel products/experiences in ways that emphasize their potential for creating shareable moments and unique content.
Address the Value Equation: While they'll spend, value for money is still important. Communicate what makes an experience worth the significant investment.
Simplify Insurance: Make travel insurance easy to understand, purchase (perhaps integrated into booking), and relevant to their perceived risks.
Strategy Recommendations for Brands to Follow in 2025
Targeted Digital Campaigns: Invest heavily in marketing on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, using influencers and content formats that resonate with Gen Z/Millennials.
Create "Insta-Worthy" Experiences: Design travel packages or highlight aspects that are visually appealing and encourage social sharing.
Entertainment Partnerships: Explore collaborations or tie-ins with popular TV shows or movies that inspire travel.
Bundled/Integrated Insurance: Offer seamless ways to add travel insurance during the booking process; clearly articulate benefits using relatable examples.
Flexible Payment Options: Consider offering responsible 'Buy Now, Pay Later' or savings plan options tailored for large travel purchases, acknowledging budget planning needs.
Final Sentence (Key Concept)
The core trend revealed is Experiential Spending Resilience, demonstrating young Brits' determination to prioritize and increase spending on digitally-influenced travel experiences in 2025 as a key element of their lifestyle, despite broader economic headwinds.
What Brands & Companies Should Do in 2025 to Benefit from Trend and How
Brands (especially travel, entertainment, finance, insurance) must align their strategies with young Brits' prioritization of experiences and their digital consumption habits.
Travel Brands: Focus marketing on social media, using influencers and highlighting unique, shareable aspects of trips inspired by current trends. Offer packages that cater to this desire for memorable content.
Entertainment Brands: Recognize their influence and potentially partner with travel companies for cross-promotions.
Finance/Insurance Brands: Develop and market relevant products (savings plans, accessible insurance) through digital channels, using clear, relatable language that addresses the specific needs and perceived risks of this demographic. Emphasize value and peace of mind simply.
Final Note:
Core Trend:
Name: Experiential Spending Resilience
Detailed Description: The robust tendency of younger demographics (Gen Z/Millennials) to prioritize and often increase spending on experiences like travel, viewing them as essential for well-being and identity, even amidst economic pressures. This spending is heavily influenced by digital media and reflects shifting values towards non-material pursuits.
Core Strategy (for Travel Brands):
Name: Digitally-Integrated Experiential Marketing
Detailed Description: A marketing approach focused on leveraging social media, influencer culture, and entertainment trends to promote unique, shareable travel experiences tailored to Gen Z and Millennials, integrating seamlessly with their digital lives and planning processes.
Core Industry Trend (Travel):
Name: Youth-Driven Experience Prioritization
Detailed Description: The travel industry dynamic where product development, marketing, and growth strategies are increasingly shaped by the preferences of younger consumers who prioritize unique, memorable, and often digitally-shareable experiences over traditional luxury or basic transport.
Core Consumer Motivation:
Name: Media-Influenced Experience Seeking
Detailed Description: The consumer drive, particularly strong among younger generations, to seek out and participate in experiences (especially travel) that are inspired, validated, or made desirable through exposure on social media and in popular entertainment, fulfilling needs for novelty, escape, and social relevance.
Final Conclusion
The planned increase in holiday spending by young Brits for 2025 underscores a significant generational commitment to experiences, heavily shaped by the digital world. For businesses, understanding this resilient demand and its drivers is key to engagement, while the concurrent neglect of practicalities like insurance highlights a crucial area for improved communication and product design.
Core Trend Detailed
Name: Experiential Spending Resilience
Detailed Summary: This trend captures the phenomenon where younger generations, specifically Gen Z and Millennials in the UK, actively choose to protect or even increase their expenditure on experiences, notably travel, despite facing cost-of-living challenges. It signifies a strong value judgment where the perceived benefits of travel – escapism, memory creation, social connection, personal enrichment, and alignment with digitally-influenced lifestyle aspirations – outweigh pressures to cut back drastically on this form of discretionary spending. This resilience suggests travel is viewed less as a pure luxury and more as an integral part of their well-being and identity. The trend is intertwined with heavy influence from social media and entertainment, which constantly showcase desirable experiences, potentially creating a feedback loop where the desire to participate and share reinforces the spending priority. It presents both a major opportunity for the experience economy and a potential risk area concerning consumer financial health if not managed responsibly or protected by measures like insurance.
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