Top Takeaways from DCI’s Second “Next Generation of Travel Media” Report

What are Gen Z media professionals doing differently than their predecessors? That was the main question guiding DCI’s “Next Generation of Travel Media,” now available in its second edition. With new interviews, fresh data, and updated observations, the report is an indispensable tool for destination marketers looking to tap into Gen Z’s potential.

This second edition builds on a 2024 report that surveyed university-level students and young Gen Z media professionals working in journalism in some capacity. By asking about their perceptions of journalism, its changes, and its challenges, DCI pulled together a more composite profile of this up and coming generation of media professiona;s.

Destinations need to take note. By understanding what today’s youngest practitioners think about travel media and journalism more broadly, travel PR professionals can work better with them to land the much-desired placements that still resonate with potential travelers.

Get your copy today, but in the meantime, here are four of the key takeaways that the report digs into.

1. Gen Z media professionals are not your grandparents’ journalists

It may seem surprising that the largest portion of respondents, 24%, said they wanted to pursue a career in digital content or influencing. Traditionally, after all, journalism and content creation are not the same thing. But times are changing. 

Just 17% of Gen Z journalists want to work for a major news organization, while 16% and 14%, respectively, want a freelance or independent media career. The days of wanting to work for a big media brand might be over, and today’s young storytellers are looking at alternative places where journalism can happen that might not have been accessible to previous generations.

2. Influencers be influencing like never before

While many Gen Z media professionals interviewed had expressed wanting to become influencers themselves, they also understand the effect of digital influencing on journalism. This edition reports a growth in the number of Gen Z journalists who cite influencer culture as a factor shaping editorial content. Ninety percent of Gen Z journalists believe influencers have a moderate to significant impact on traditional journalism. 

There’s a rise from last year’s results, indicating that Gen Z media professionals are increasingly aware of how influencing and journalism are intertwined. Destination marketers need to be aware of this interplay as they design media campaigns moving forward.

3. Newsgathering is mostly a social (media) affair

Interviews are no longer the primary means of gathering information. More than half of journalists say they still use them, but more are heading online. The largest portion of Gen Z media professionals look online, specifically social media platforms (61%) to get their stories and do their research.

Only 15% mentioned press trips as being tools they rely upon. That’s a valuable piece of information for destinations to ponder as they schedule their next costly FAM.

4. Changes abound, but one thing remains

Gen Z still values journalistic ethics—however they define them, of course. But with 67% of respondents positive about the future of journalism, it’s important to understand that the profession isn’t going away. It’s just evolving. 

And much like more seasoned professionals, Gen Z is concerned about fake news, misinformation, and journalistic integrity surviving in a digital world. Most—87%! —think that journalistic ethics are essential or very important. This shows that journalism still has a future, and Gen Z is slowly redefining it.

Destinations, therefore, shouldn’t write off travel journalism just yet, even as Gen Z transforms it before our eyes.

For a deeper dive into these takeaways, download your copy of DCI’s “The Next Generation of Travel Media”, now available in its second.

Looking to use data to guide your destination’s strategies? We support that. Get in touch with Robyn Domber at robyn.domber@aboutdci.com to learn more about DCI’s research capabilities, to tap into our expertise and even design your own study.