A Maltese Gen Z’s travel response during Covid-19

Abstract

This dissertation sets to explore Malta’s Gen Z viewpoint with regards to travelling whilst in pandemic. A phenomenona that was expected to happen according to scholars, has negatively influenced the tourism industry. Tourist’s motivation to travel has shifted due to people’s rising concerns of getting infected by the virus. As tourism industry is determined to recover, brands are struggling as consumer confidence to travel has decreased. According to many reports, Generation Z has been identified as a key to travel recovery, due to their travel preference, behaviour, and motivations. Therefore, this research adds on to previous literature by providing insights from Malta’s Gen Z market. The research takes the form of a quantitative study through the use of online surveys for data collection. The study was directly aimed at Maltese Generation Z individuals, born between 1996 – 2012 obtaining a sample of 279 Gen Z. Utilizing Spss, raw data was presented by descriptive statistics. However, content analysis was also used to code the data from each questionnaire, for further analysis. The study obtained valuable insights as results revealed characteristics of an average Maltese Gen Z traveller, and an evaluation of shifts in travel motivation between 2019 and 2022. Lastly, Gen Z’s opinion with regards to post-covid tourism was analysed. All results were then supported by secondary data which was obtained from desk research. The study concludes that Malta’s Gen Z traveller is a recreational tourist who is financially independent, having the advantage to pay their own travels. Therefore, due to their budget factor, their choice of destination is dependent upon their financial situation. In view of the pandemic, results revealed that Malta’s Gen Z would like to escape from their daily routine and take part-in activities that provide authentic experiences. However, for one to do this, they are in search for value for money destinations that provide safety and security but also once-in- a lifetime experiences.