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International youth travel has remained a significant segment of the travel industry, according to research conducted by the WYSE Travel Confederation. With youth travel accounting for 23% of international arrivals in 2019, the overall indications are that the global youth travel market consistently contributes to international travel.

In the last two decades, the total volume of international youth travel has increased by over 126%, rising from just under 150 million in 2002 to over 330 million in 2019. The growth has been largely driven by the increased travel participation and frequency of young people, coupled with the expansion of new travel markets in emerging economies, particularly in Asia and Latin America.

Data from the WYSE Travel Confederation’s New Horizons survey of international youth travellers show a growing frequency of international trips, with young people now taking an average of over two long trips a year, representing a growth of over 20% in the last decade.

In addition, estimated youth travel expenditure reached a record EUR 295 billion (USD 333 billion) in 2019, significantly higher than the estimated spending of EUR 114 billion (USD 136 billion) in 2005. Historical analyses from major destinations, such as India and Sri Lanka, confirm the continued importance of youth tourism.

Looking forward, the expectations are that this contribution will continue in the future, with the number of young people aged 15 to 24 expected to continue growing to over 1.3 billion until 2040. The proportion of global youth will increase in the next decade, although growth rates will flatten off after 2030, with the proportion of young people in developed economies declining while emerging economies will increase their share.

WYSE Travel Confederation has been calculating the size of the global youth travel market since 2003 as part of the New Horizons research program, collaborating with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in 2005 to develop a sound statistical basis for estimating the size of the youth travel market. The current report is based on updated information on tourist arrivals for 59 countries, covering 42% of global arrivals in 2019.

As the global youth travel market continues to grow, the travel industry will need to adapt to meet the changing demands and expectations of young travellers.