Trends

Flexibility and passions drive the travel itineraries of Millennials and Gen Z

Mostly women between 25 and 35 years of age are starting out. Personal loans on the rise

by Camilla Colombo and Camilla Curcio

9 June 2025

3' min read

Key points

WeRoad Traveller
Thematic sports trips
Personal loans

3' min read

Flexibility in the periods in which to leave, but also in the choice of destinations, and themed trips where leisure is combined with passion, often sporting passion. This is how the new generations respond to inflation and the high cost of living: vacations are not given up, rather they set off, when possible, away from the summer peaks and are careful to focus on favourable exchange rates (the Japan of the post-Covid era) or the cost of flights.

The WeRoad Traveller

"Our typical traveller is a woman (60% of cases), is 32 years old and travels alone in 85% of cases. In Italy, he takes a two-week holiday, often in the summer because the company where he works closes at that time, and this year he has an average budget of 1,200/1,250 euro". Stefano Arossa, commercial regional manager of WeRoad, a community that organises trips in small groups to around 100 destinations worldwide, thus sketches the habits of Millennials. "In addition to Morocco, United States, Mexico, Indonesia and Thailand, this yearChina is very successful because it currently does not require visas for stays of up to 30 days and has direct air routes from Italy at very competitive prices. Every year, there are trends dictated by both social media and logistical factors'.

Also in response to the changes dictated by the post-pandemic, WeRoad has expanded its product offering: long-haul trips (the first was to Cuba) have been joined by vacations to places closer to home (Spain, Greece, Albania) and for shorter durations, with Express and Weekend formulas. "Not everyone has the time and budget for long-distance travel at all times of the year," concludes Arossa. "Broadening our portfolio stock in terms of destination and duration allows us to respond to two clear trends in the industry: a demand for moretime and cost flexibility and a growing demand for thematic trips linked to avertical passion."

Thematic sports trips

Passion is the fil rouge that also runs through the itineraries chosen by travellers who turn to Mapo Tapo, the digital platform set up in 202o that specialises in organising sports trips and group excursions off the beaten track. The proposed packages differ from traditional models, focusing on an idea of adventure tourism and sustainability.

"To date we serve travellers from some 40 countries around the world, mainly the United States, Canada, Italy, France and Germany," explains Daniele Calvo Pollino, CEO and co-founder of the start-up. "Our target audience is between 25 and 40 years old and 60% are women."

Among the most popular destinations, given the cut-off of packaged routes, almost exclusively dedicated to outdoor sports activities (trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering and ski mountaineering), stands out - as Calvo Pollino indicates - "a mix of Italy and abroad: Nepal, Norway, the Dolomites, Spain, Sicily and Sardinia. And the holiday, which lasts from a minimum of four or five days to a maximum of two weeks, tends to have an average price of around EUR 1450'.

Rising costs of living and stagnating salaries seem to have had little impact on bookings. "Perhaps it is because we work mainly with an international audience, little affected by the dynamics of the Italian labour market and in periods outside the peak seasons," Calvo Pollino explains. "And then because those who turn to us are sports enthusiasts who, justifying their spending with passion, choose to set aside a portion of their budget for the trip, renouncing anything else."

Course for personal loans

Holidays, therefore, remain a priority for young people. Even at the cost of resorting to personal loans. As confirmed by the latest analysis by Facile.it and Prestiti.it, which recorded an 18% increase in loan applications in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with over 100 million disbursed. The over 100 million disbursed. The under 30s are the main demanders, proving that young people are the segment of the market most inclined to turn to credit to finance their travel experiences.