A Descriptive Analysis of Social Media Use by a Selected Sample of Generation Z Travellers

In the contemporary world, social media impacts everyone’s life. The number of youths utilising social networking sites is increasing, as these sites are used for communication, information searching, marketing, and job seeking. The youth (between 16 and 36 years) are considered an influential sector of the population, particularly in their use of social media. In post-modern society, it is almost inconceivable that an individual in this generational group does not have at least one profile on a social media platform. However, to date, little is known about the influence of social media on travel choices, particularly among the youth in South Africa. The primary aim of this study was to examine the usage of social media in Generation Z (youth)‘s decision-making about travel in Pretoria. The study followed a descriptive quantitative methodological approach. The target population of this study comprised youths residing in Pretoria. In total, 196 respondents participated using an online survey. Results provide a demographic overview of respondents and a descriptive insight into social media use. An exploratory factor analysis revealed seven distinct uses for social media among respondents. They are social media as an information tool for knowledge sharing, providing a sense of belonging, lifestyle, and compulsion, for travel bookings, to obtain a sense of reward and to promote a sense of affiliation. The findings indicate that social media is a popular tool among the youth for sharing travel experiences and that travel reviews influence decision-making.