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Manchester, United Kingdom — 22-25 September 2009

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Travel tops Gen Z and Millennial holiday gift lists

Dec 8, 2017

A recent survey asked 13-35 year olds what is at the top of their holiday wish list. Turns out, it isn’t the iPhone X that these young consumers would most like to unwrap this giving season. According to the YPulse survey, money and travel are the two most popular items on Gen Z and Millennial holiday gift lists.

YPulse said the survey was an open-end response question aimed at capturing ‘the full range of items that Gen Z and Millennial consumers want for the holidays—without preconceived ideas shaping their responses.’

Young woman with holiday gifts under the tree
Money was the number one most desired item for the second year in a row and travel was the second most popular response. YPulse broke the results down even further and found that Gen Z consumers are more likely to say they prefer a smartphone, gift cards, and video games. Meanwhile, Millennials tend to say they desire the gift of travel, tickets/experiences, and books.

Based on results of the recent New Horizons global survey of youth and student travellers, that Millennials place travel at the top of their holiday gift lists is unsurprising. One component of the survey, which gathered nearly 60,000 responses from Millennial and Gen Z travellers worldwide, asked travellers how happy their last big trip abroad made them feel on a scale from 1 to 10. Travellers in the 26 to 29 age group rated their last trip a 9.1 for happiness.

For a gift that is going to please any 13 to 35 year old, wrap up some cold, hard cash. We can’t promise that they won’t spend it on avocado toast, though. But to give the ultimate holiday cheer, choose the item off the Millennial holiday gift list that delivers the most happiness money can buy them – the gift of travel.

Top items on Gen Z and Millennial holiday gift lists

1. Money

2. Travel

3. Clothing / Accessories

4. Tickets / Experience

5. Gaming console / computer

6. Books

7. Gift Cards

8. Smartphone

9. Shoes / Boots

10. Housewares / Home Décor

11. Video Games