– 75% surveyed had travel plans cancelled or delayed because of the virus
– However, 67% of UK students who have had to cancel or delay a trip still plan to travel within the next year
– Bucking the wider UK trend, 56% said they are planning for their next trip to be international
Youth travellers, like all other traveller groups, have had plans cancelled and trips postponed due to the health pandemic that has swept the globe this year. However, a new study out today by StudentUniverse, suggests that despite being highly resilient, the 18-26 age bracket of travellers could be most affected more in the long term.
The report, by the world’s largest online student and youth travel brand, reveals that 75% of those surveyed have had travel plans cancelled or delayed because of the virus.
As well as the horizon-broadening experience of the traditional gap year, youth travellers have been extremely impacted by schools calling study abroad students home, universities abroad closing their campuses, educational programmes being placed on hold and the continued uncertainty lingering over study abroad placements for the rest of the year.
Sam Willan, General Manager for UK & Australia at StudentUniverse says, “We know that Gen Z see travelling as a way to connect with new experiences and seek a sense of community they might not achieve at home. They also see travel as a segway from one life experience to the next, often opting to travel before starting university or careers.
“With this in mind, there is a great risk that Gen Z are going to miss out on a key opportunity to experience these adventures like previous generations did, with lasting impact on their mental health and ability to move forward with the next phase of their lives.
“We are also conscious of the amount of Gen Z that won’t be able to embark on educational travel journeys, and how this might affect their job and career prospects compared to student travellers over previous years. There is a big possibility that this year’s travellers will feel the effects of Covid-19 in many areas of their lives, for a lot longer than other travellers.”
However, there is some good news. While students have been so strongly impacted, they are extremely resilient and are still showing a desire to travel as soon as they can. A whopping 67% of UK students who have had to cancel or delay a trip are still planning to take their trip within the next year, with 44% saying they were planning to travel more this year as they really miss it.
The most impressive trend from Generation Z in the UK, is where they plan to travel when allowed. While many would expect travellers to stay closer to home due to the pandemic and the experts are predicting domestic trips will be the focus, 56% of respondents said they are planning for their next trip to be international, with only 9% wanting to staycation in the UK. Europe was second with 33% of youth travellers opting for this.
Finally, what are students doing in the meantime? They’re keeping busy with online classes, connecting with others online, catching up on their streaming services, exercising and working. And like so many of us, they’re feeling a lot of emotions, mainly uncertainty, stress, and anxiety, but also hope, optimism, and just plain boredom.
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For further press information, please contact:
Baillie Horwood | Emma Arthurs
T: 0203 440 8930
E: [email protected]
About StudentUniverse:
StudentUniverse is the world’s leading travel booking site for students and youth. Through negotiations with a network of global partners, StudentUniverse offers discounted pricing and terms on flights.
StudentUniverse launched in the UK in 2013 and was acquired by Flight Centre Travel Group in 2015. StudentUniverse is headquartered in Boston with offices in London, Brisbane and the Philippines.
StudentUniverse believes that travel is essential to a modern education. Millions of students use the service every year.
For more information go to www.studentuniverse.co.uk
