Shift In Gen Z Travel Mindset: The Rise Of Eco-Conscious Travel In Europe

News18

3 days ago

Most Gen Z travellers see a visit to a foreign location as an opportunity for personal growth, global citizenship, and purposeful engagement
Spending summer holidays in a European country has been a long-cherished dream for many for decades. But over the past few years, a dramatic shift has emerged in how the younger generation, especially Gen Z, envisions their European getaway.
For most Gen Z travellers, taking a holiday is not limited to sightseeing; they aspire for deeper connection, purpose, and captivating experiences, and are generally more interested in visiting destinations that offer a smoother and more accessible visa process.
Most Gen Z travellers see a visit to a foreign location as an opportunity for personal growth, global citizenship, and purposeful engagement. This shift in travelling preferences is further fuelled by the popularity of social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, where content creators highlight 'slow travel" hacks, eco-conscious destinations, and smoother travelling experiences facilitated by easy visa processes.
Increased air connectivity, rising income levels, and a surge in discretionary spending are some of the reasons why more and more people, particularly from developing countries such as India, are opting for European holidays, leading to an unprecedented increase in the number of visa applications.
Higher visa applications numbers resulted in several European countries grappling with an overwhelming volume of visa applications, prompting many travellers, particularly the young ones, to choose countries with relatively smoother and more predictable visa regimes.
This trend is further supported by increasing understanding that choosing the right visa services partner, the one that offers clarity, correct guidance, and reliability, can make all the difference between a dream trip and a cancelled plan.
For some, a visa may be just a piece of paper, but how you handle it can make a huge difference in how one's holiday ends, and the last thing a first-time traveller wishes for is administrative stress, especially a young traveller who tries balancing freelance work, internships, or college deadlines.
Driven by this emerging trend, European nations such as Spain, Portugal, and Slovakia with their stunning natural beauty, charming towns, and rich cultural heritages, started to get traction, particularly from Gen Z travellers seeking immersive experiences rather than just sightseeing. For Indian young travellers, seeking authentic, economical, and sustainable immersive experiences in European countries such as Spain, Slovakia & Portugal are an ideal destination.
Besides this, these European nations also stand out as an attractive, vibrant and lively destination, bulging with creative spirit. From unique venues, boutique festivals, outstanding exhibitions, concerts and creative energy, these countries offer an experience unlike any other. Cities in these countries are open and designed for people, with people in mind – welcoming, walkable, and full of charm.
Moreover, destinations like Portugal's Alentejo region or Slovakia's Tatra Mountain and Dobšinská Ice Cave offer the perfect setting for these slower, more reflective experiences, and the relatively easy visa process, in these cases, acts as a bridge, not as a barrier.
These countries have cities giving the impression of a land of castles and mansions that will make the traveller feel as if one has stepped into a fairy tale. Only a stone's throw away from urban centres, one can find green oases such as parks, botanic gardens and arboretums.
Add to that their openness to sustainable tourism, rich cultural depth, and decent English-speaking populations, and it's clear why they appeal to Gen Z's desire for authenticity and ease.
These stunning countries offer a seamless blend of natural beauty, vibrant culture, and a strong commitment to green tourism. Besides this, what really makes them stand out for Gen Z travel enthusiasts are smoother and predictable visa processes, affordable travel logistics, and the type of riveting experiences they offer.
While they are part of the Schengen Zone, their (particularly Portugal, Slovakia and Spain) visa processes are relatively streamlined and are often less saturated with visa applicants compared to other popular European destinations, which means one can have easier appointment availability and slightly faster processing times.
Furthermore, these countries with several national parks, majestic peaks, deep valleys and mysterious gorges, provide breathtaking nature retreats—ideal for introspection, journaling, hiking, or simply slowing down. This kind of mental reset is exactly what many Gen Z seek when they travel.
While overwhelmed Schengen visa requirements remain a hurdle for most travellers, their relatively smoother application process, low-cost travel opportunities, and meaningful experiences make it well worth the effort.
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For Gen Z, the journey neither starts at the airport nor ends there. It starts with a choice: to travel with intention, to embrace the offbeat, and to partner with the right people who make the process smoother, and ends with captivating experiences and long-lasting memories.
Shikhar Aggarwal is the Joint Managing Director of BLS International Services Ltd. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views.
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