Y Generation and Tourism
The tourism industry has recently demonstrated a commitment to better understand generational
differences to ensure both a strong workforce and a strong tourism market.
A recent study by the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation (WYSETC)
of more than 8500 Y-Generation travellers,for example, revealed the following key features
about these travellers They are: travelling more often; exploring more destinations;
spending more on travel; booking more over the Internet; hungry for experience; hungry for
information; intrepid travellers; and getting a lot out of their travel (Richards, 2007
Table 1.6 provides an elaboration of each of these features, and makes connections
with the seven character traits of the Y Generation.
In essence, Richards captures the spirit of the Y Generation in this statement: ‘Travel is a way of life. A certain level of risk is part of travel, even though it can be minimised