Home › CGTN       16.08.2026

Nostalgia travel: Why Gen Z and millennials are traveling back to their childhoods

Nostalgia is becoming a powerful force in travel. From childhood vacation spots to places tied to major life milestones, travelers are increasingly choosing trips that reconnect them with memories from the past.

CGTN's Sean Callebs spoke with travel industry analyst Katy Nastro about the rise of nostalgia travel, why Gen Z and millennials are embracing experiences connected to their childhoods, and what the trend could mean for travel spending, destinations and local economies.

Is the next big travel trend not discovering somewhere new — but going back somewhere familiar?

0:00 Why nostalgia travel is booming among younger travelers 1:20 Why childhood memories are driving travel spending 1:51 Gen Z, millennials and the rise of multigenerational travel 2:24 Why travelers want familiar destinations in uncertain times 3:24 How rising travel costs are changing where people vacation 4:02 Why road trips and domestic travel are making a comeback 4:42 How classic brands are cashing in on nostalgia travel 5:52 Why travelers are choosing simpler, more analog vacations

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