Gen Z–pioneers or paradox in sustainable tourism?

dc.citation.issue6
dc.citation.volume33
dc.contributor.authorSeyfi S
dc.contributor.authorHall CM
dc.contributor.authorStrzelecka M
dc.date.accessioned2025-08-18T21:35:40Z
dc.date.available2025-08-18T21:35:40Z
dc.date.issued2025-06-03
dc.description.abstractFrequently labeled the “greenest generation,” research often portrays Generation Z (Gen Z) as a generation with strong pro-sustainability sensibilities. However, closer scrutiny exposes a disconnect between their stated intentions and actual behavior. This editorial reflection draws on the contributions to the Special Issue “Gen Z: The Sustainable Tourism Generation?” and a critical scoping review to question whether Gen Z can genuinely support a shift toward sustainable tourism. The studies in this issue address themes such as pro-environmental behavior, political consumerism, ethical choices, food waste, and psychological ownership of destinations. Overall, they demonstrate a fragmented body of work, split between those who argue for Gen Z’s deep engagement with sustainability and others who highlight inconsistencies. By synthesizing insights from the special issue and mapping them against broader trends in the literature, this editorial argues that current scholarship risks overstating the coherence of Gen Z’s sustainability orientation. It urges researchers to interrogate the structural, cultural, and psychological barriers that mediate the translation of values into action. Finally, it outlines a future research agenda that calls for greater theoretical clarity, comparative and longitudinal designs, and a move beyond celebratory narratives, to better understand Gen Z’s actual role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals within tourism and beyond.
dc.description.confidentialfalse
dc.edition.editionJune 2025
dc.format.pagination987-1015
dc.identifier.citationSeyfi S, Michael Hall C, Strzelecka M. (2025). Gen Z–pioneers or paradox in sustainable tourism?. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 33. 6. (pp. 987-1015).
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/09669582.2025.2491702
dc.identifier.eissn1747-7646
dc.identifier.elements-typejournal-article
dc.identifier.issn0966-9582
dc.identifier.urihttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/73378
dc.languageEnglish
dc.publisherTaylor and Francis Group
dc.publisher.urihttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09669582.2025.2491702
dc.relation.isPartOfJournal of Sustainable Tourism
dc.rights(c) The author/sen
dc.rights.licenseCC BYen
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en
dc.subjectGen Z
dc.subjectgreen generation
dc.subjectethical tourism
dc.subjectsustainable tourism
dc.subjectsustainable development goals
dc.subjectattitude-behavior gap
dc.titleGen Z–pioneers or paradox in sustainable tourism?
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.elements-id502547
pubs.organisational-groupOther
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