ATHENS, Ga. — A recent study by the University of Georgia looked at links between social media and changes to travel plans, examining each age group for how posts affect their tourism habits.
In the university’s announcement of the study’s results, a spokesperson said “perhaps unsurprisingly, baby boomers were less drawn in by similar posts and less likely to base their own trips off” of vacation photos of different destinations.
Enter millennials and Gen Z.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The UGA research suggests that millennials and Gen Z look for “unique” places to travel to, somewhat based on engagement with social media posts about those trips.
Researchers found that how people react to photos of trips and their ‘coolness factor’ can lead to people skipping travel plans.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Attacks on water supply: Cybercriminals target at least 2 Georgia systems
- Arrest made in deadly shooting, robbery at Atlanta apartments
- ‘Use extreme caution:’ Georgia inmate escapes from transitional center
“Whenever we post something on social media, we expect our peers to respond positively and give likes and comments to create some engagement to our posts,” Sabrina Rahman, the corresponding author of the study and a recent doctoral graduate from UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, said. “That expectation of getting positive feedback is what we call ‘social return,’ and we practice it in our everyday life without us knowing.”
The study said the difference in destination choices was at times generational, with baby boomers focused on “mainstream destinations,” while younger generations, “especially Gen Z,” were more interested in less common places.
The researchers based this conclusion on what types of posts each generation, from baby boomer to Gen Z, were drawn to.
How people plan their vacations also changes by generation, with people posting to both find inspiration about where to go, and posting where they’ve been.
“It’s a relatively new phenomenon, but it’s very relevant given that about two-thirds of the world’s population are now social media users,” Rahman said. “People look into travel blogs, posts and reviews before traveling, so how appealing we find those destinations on social media shapes our travel intentions. And based on what kind of positive feedback I might get, that anticipation sometimes makes us visit some places or try a new restaurant.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
