2024 World’s Most Exciting Destinations for Young Travelers

Travel experts have examined 100 cities worldwide and identified destinations that Gen Z travelers will like best.

Omio, the leading booking platform for trains, buses, and flights, has released a ranking of the most exciting cities for Generation Z in 2024. The list 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 travelers.

Gen Z on Vacation: Diversity, Technology, and Entertainment

Generation Z prefers travel destinations that promote diversity and equality, with high acceptance for LGBTQ+ and gender equality. They demand fast mobile internet connections, digital payment options, and environmentally friendly, affordable public transportation.

Culinary diversity is essential to young foodies, especially vegetarian and vegan options. Live concerts and esports events are much more popular than museums and monuments. Thus, top concerts by favorite artists and bands or unique gaming experiences become ideal reasons for a city trip.

Table 1: Top 10 Most Exciting Travel Destinations for Generation Z in 2024, based on ten relevant criteria analyzed. The full ranking with 100 cities worldwide and all results can be found at www.omio.com/c/the-best-travel-destinations-for-gen-z

Seoul owns everything Gen Z loves

Seoul in South Korea is the ultimate travel destination for Generation Z. The city entices with K-Pop, affordable prices, and a lively gaming scene. A metro ticket costs approximately $0.96, and a fast-food combo is about $6.01.

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 the current desires of young travelers. 

Europe’s Leader for Gen Z Travelers: London

London is considered the ultimate 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 are uncomplicated and widespread in London, whether for bubble tea or subway tickets. 

Dubai is the TikTok Favorite

With over 74 billion views, no city is as popular on TikTok as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The city is the favorite 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 travelers, 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 neighborhoods for partying and meeting like-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 favorite 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.

Table 2: Five Cities with Limited Gen Z Entertainment Options.