What drives the willingness to travel? behavioral and psychological predictors among Generation Z

Abstract The aim of the presented research was to quantitatively assess the extent to which behavioral factors (travel experience and autonomy in travel) and psychological factors (perceived travel stress and social discomfort) influence the desire to travel and explore new places among students belonging to Generation Z (Gen Z). The research was conducted in October 2024 on a sample of 404 respondents from the Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, with the target group being students at the bachelor’s and master’s levels of study. Data collection was carried out through an online questionnaire, the content of which focused on four key areas: travel experience, autonomy in travel, perception of travel-related stress, and social discomfort during interaction in a foreign environment. The data analysis was conducted using correlation and multiple linear regression analysis. The results showed that the most significant positive predictor of the desire to travel was the number of countries visited ( B = 0.1927; p < 0.01), while the perception of travel as a stressful factor had a statistically significant negative impact ( B = –0.1563; p < 0.001). Other variables – willingness to travel alone and discomfort when ordering food – did not show statistical significance. Nonetheless, the model as a whole was statistically significant ( F = 8.58; p < 0.001). These findings confirm the importance of behavioral and psychological factors in shaping travel motivation among young people. The research provides practical recommendations – such as strengthening students’ travel competencies through international mobility and simultaneously reducing psychological barriers through the development of adaptation strategies. The results also provide a foundation for further research that could analyze a broader range of personality, value-based, and socio-environmental determinants of Gen Z’s travel behavior.