Is Gen Z really that different? Environmental attitudes, travel behaviours and sustainability practices of international tourists to Canterbury, New Zealand

Bibliographic Data

ID7161452
AuthorsGirish Prayag (0000-0001-6243-2747, Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, UC Business School, corresponding author), Richard S Aquino (0000-0002-0731-5975, Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, UC Business School), C M Hall (0000-0002-7734-4587, Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, UC Business School), Ning Chen (0009-0003-4655-5503), Ning Chris Chen (0000-0003-2897-3042, Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, UC Business School), Peter Fieger (0000-0002-9509-6628, Federation University)
Year2025
Volume33
Issue6
Pages1016-1037
Publication date2025-06-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Sustainable Tourism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0966-9582 • E-ISSN: 1747-7646
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09669582.2022.2131795
OpenAlexW4304693556
LanguageEN
Citations received33
References cited69

Age has a significant influence on environmental attitudes and behaviour but there is no consensus on the effect that generational cohort has on these attitudes and behaviour. Using the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) as the theoretical lens, this study evaluates whether Gen Z is similar or different to three other generations (Gen X, Y and Baby Boomers) on their environmental attitudes toward travel. The sustainability practices that these generational cohorts undertake during their travel are also evaluated. Based on 615 useable surveys of international visitors to the Canterbury region of New Zealand, we identify segments of visitors based on environmental attitudes and behaviour toward travel and generational cohort using a two-step clustering procedure. The results confirm inter-generational differences in environmental attitudes and travel behaviours but also highlight intra-generational differences. Gen Z tourists are more likely to belong to "Environmental" or "Mixed-Bag Environmental" segments that are more likely engage in sustainable practices related to resource saving and buying local food compared to other generations. The findings have implications for destination marketing and management

Baby boomers · Business · Cohort · Demographic economics · Demographics · Ecological footprint · Economics · Geography · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Sustainability · Travel behavior · Demography · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Environmental Sustainability in Business · Ecology · Marketing