Omio, the booking platform for trains, buses, and flights, has released a ranking of the most exciting destinations for Generation Z.
The ranking is based on a comprehensive study of 100 cities in 40 countries worldwide, considering criteria, requirements, and interests that are particularly important to the young generation of travellers. Among them, seven cities from the United Kingdom – Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and Manchester.
Gen-Z on Vacation: Diversity, Technology, and Entertainment
Generation Z prefers places that promote diversity and equality, with high acceptance for queers and gender equality. They demand fast mobile internet connections, digital payment options, and environmentally friendly, affordable public transportation.
Culinary diversity is important to young food enthusiasts, especially vegetarian and vegan options. Live concerts and esports events are much more popular than museums and monuments. Thus, top concerts by favourite artists and unique gaming experiences become ideal reasons for a city trip.
Table 1: Top 10 Best Travel Destinations for Generation Z, based on an evaluation of ten relevant criteria.
|
Rank
|
Destination
|
Queer acceptance (ranking)
|
Top concerts
|
Top eSport events
|
Top veggie food spots
|
Metro ticket
|
Mobile payment options
|
TikTok views
|
|
1
|
Seoul
|
70th
|
Many shows
|
6
|
181
|
£0.76
|
28%
|
11B
|
|
2
|
London
|
9th
|
Frequently shows
|
14
|
192
|
£2.98
|
20%
|
44B
|
|
3
|
Los Angeles
|
35th
|
Frequently shows
|
18
|
79
|
£1.56
|
21%
|
19B
|
|
4
|
Paris
|
17th
|
Frequently shows
|
7
|
50
|
£1.80
|
13%
|
44B
|
|
5
|
Beijing
|
70th
|
No top shows
|
6
|
60
|
£0.54
|
39%
|
0.5B
|
|
6
|
Busan
|
70th
|
Rarely shows
|
2
|
70
|
£0.76
|
28%
|
1B
|
|
7
|
Barcelona
|
9th
|
Many shows
|
1
|
34
|
£2.06
|
18%
|
71B
|
|
8
|
Singapore
|
70th
|
Many shows
|
9
|
136
|
£1.16
|
19%
|
1B
|
|
9
|
Madrid
|
9th
|
Many shows
|
2
|
112
|
£1.29
|
18%
|
24B
|
|
10
|
New York City
|
35th
|
Frequently shows
|
9
|
178
|
£2.15
|
21%
|
39B
|
Seoul owns everything Gen Z loves
Seoul, South Korea, is the most exciting travel destination for Generation Z in 2024. The city entices with K-Pop, affordable prices, and a vibrant gaming scene. A metro ticket costs approximately £0.76, and a fast-food combo is about £4.73.
In Seoul, Gen Z experiences high-speed internet, widespread mobile payment options, and a rich culinary diversity with at least 181 vegetarian or vegan top food spots. The city excels in innovation and zeitgeist, making it the best choice for young travellers’ current desires.
Europe’s Leader for Gen Z Travelers: London
London is considered the most exciting travel destination for Generation Z in Europe. The city offers thrilling live concerts, trendy culinary hotspots, and some of the largest gaming events in the world, including EGX London and the London Games Festival. Mobile and contactless payment with smartphones is uncomplicated and widespread in London, whether for Boba Tea or subway tickets.
London provides Gen Z travellers with a comfortable city trip. An additional highlight is that all top artists and bands – from BTS to Harry Styles – include London in their world and stadium tours, making the city even more attractive to the generation.
Table 2: Ranking of the Best Cities for Generation Z in the United Kingdom, based on an evaluation of ten relevant criteria.
|
UK rank
|
International rank
|
Destination
|
Queer acceptance (ranking)
|
Top concerts
|
Top eSports events
|
Top veggie food spots
|
Mobile payment options
|
TikTok views
|
|
1
|
2
|
London
|
9th
|
Frequently shows
|
14
|
192
|
20%
|
44B
|
|
2
|
28
|
Edinburgh
|
9th
|
Many shows
|
0
|
11
|
20%
|
2B
|
|
3
|
32
|
Cardiff
|
9th
|
Many shows
|
0
|
8
|
20%
|
0.7B
|
|
4
|
47
|
Manchester
|
9th
|
Rarely shows
|
0
|
13
|
20%
|
7B
|
|
5
|
52
|
Birmingham
|
9th
|
Rarely shows
|
1
|
23
|
20%
|
4B
|
|
6
|
60
|
Glasgow
|
9th
|
Rarely shows
|
0
|
13
|
20%
|
2B
|
|
7
|
78
|
Belfast
|
9th
|
No top shows
|
0
|
7
|
20%
|
1B
|
Birmingham, Glasgow, and Belfast Offer Little Entertainment for Gen Z Travelers
London shows the greatest potential among all surveyed cities in the United Kingdom to excite young travellers. Other cities in the country, such as Edinburgh (Rank 28), Cardiff (Rank 32), Manchester (Rank 47), Birmingham (Rank 52), Glasgow (Rank 60), and Belfast (Rank 78), cannot compete with London in terms of diversity and attractions for the new generation.
In particular, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Belfast rank low in the ranking because they have little to offer to young travellers. The attractiveness of cities in the United Kingdom is also affected by comparatively slow mobile internet connections and limited adoption of digital payment options. Gen Z has no patience for this!
Dubai is TikTok’s Favourite
With over 74 billion views, no city is as popular on TikTok as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The city is the favourite on the social network for Generation Z, leaving dream cities of older generations like New York City (39 billion views) or Paris (44 billion views) far behind.
Queers are Safe in Copenhagen, Vancouver, Geneva, and Lisbon
For queer travellers, safety, acceptance, and freedom are essential. Young queers have fewer worries in countries like Denmark, Canada, Switzerland, or Portugal. Cities like Copenhagen, Vancouver, Geneva, and Lisbon are among the safer cities for LGBTQ+ individuals, with trendy gay and queer neighbourhoods for partying and meeting open-minded people.
Los Angeles, London, Berlin: Gaming Hubs
Gaming is indispensable for Generation Z. In a highly connected world of multiplayer online games, esports events provide the opportunity to play favourite games live and with others. Los Angeles is the top destination for esports fans with at least 18 major tournaments. In Europe, London and Berlin are the hotspots for gamers, with about 14 events in London and about 11 major events in Berlin, including League of Legends Championships and Dota 2 Major Tournaments. Here, gamers can indulge in their passion for games and share it with the community.
