You might think the youth go about avoiding all responsibility and zig-zagging across the globe for months on end, but according to Airbnb, the stats tell a different story.
The holiday rental platform has found that Gen Z (currently aged between 13 and 28, but we’d guess they’re referring to those old enough to book their own trips) are gravitating more towards what Airbnb calls ‘quick trips’. Inspired by the extreme day-tripping trend (and doing what we can with limited PTO), international getaways of just a couple of days are in vogue. Gen Zers are choosing to travel to cities packed with music, dance, lip-smacking local food and historical sites.
Time Out recently produced its very own roundup of the best cities for Gen Z to live in, but which destinations are young travellers flocking to for culture-packed quick trips?
Recommended: The 31 coolest streets in the world in 2025.
On the roundup is Busan, a port city in South Korea, which, according to the holiday rental booking platform, ‘blends coastal hikes and neon-lit street food alleys for a dynamic city vibe’.
Bupyeong Kkangtong Market, for example, is the first permanent night market in Korea, and it is home to an explosion of different cuisines – head here between 7.30pm and midnight for a street food crawl.
Elsewhere on the list is Marrakech, the busy, brilliant Moroccan city full of souks, stylish rooftop lounges and fragrant, delicious food. Stockholm, the chic Scandinavian capital, also features. Across its 14 islands, Stockholm offers a unique mix of mediaeval architecture and cool wine bars, cafés, indie music spots and queer spaces. In fact, visiting the brand-new House of Q was named as one of the best new things to do in the world in 2026.
These are the top trending cities among Gen Z travellers, according to Airbnb
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Busan, South Korea
- João Pessoa, Brazil
- Ko Samui, Thailand
- Maceió, Brazil
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Nakano, Japan
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Stockholm, Sweden
Did you see that this is now officially the world’s largest city, overtaking Tokyo?
Plus: A major French art museum known as the ‘Little Louvre’ has reopened after 14 years.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.