A new survey of YouGov and easily that was shared with Thrillist reveals that despite what our TikTok feeds and Pinterest pages show us, most of our peers are not currently on vacation in Europe. If you’ve been looking at photo after photo with locations tagged in Croatia, Spain, France, and Greece while feeling an immense amount of FOMO, don’t get too caught up in wanderlust. Many travelers are channeling Vibes of “Europecore” from afar when the budget doesn’t allow for a summer abroad, so you won’t be alone if you do the same.
The survey revealed that the majority of millennial and Gen Z travelers plan to stay in the US this summer. Sixty-six percent of people ages 18-29 report they plan to travel alone in the US, and 57% of people ages 30-39 report the same. Not only is this cost-effective at a time when travel expenses are hitting record highs, but Readly’s chief content officer, Chris Couchman, says there’s more to it than just saving money.
“Young travelers are open-minded and interested in learning more about the world,” Couchman says in a statement to Thrillist. “This summer, they are looking to explore closer to home, immerse themselves in local culture, and expand their horizons while giving back to the local community.”
An estimate 85% of Americans will travel somewhere this summer. With people under 40 making up the largest group of travelers, don’t be surprised to find a group of other young people taking road trips, visiting quaint little towns and exploring the great outdoors this season. This is also great news for anyone still waiting for their passport to be processed during the historic long waiting times of three months.
If you’re giving up on your dreams of spending the summer drinking grappa in Santorini (the photos indicate that the Greek tourist destination is too full this summer anyway), Thrillist has you covered with dozens of US vacation spots to enjoy. If you want something relaxing, an adventurous road trip, a breezy beach getawayor a urban exploration we have a guide to get there. And don’t forget, whether abroad or on the road, most of us are putting these summer trips in plastic to pay them.
