Top 5 leisure trends according to Gen Z

STATE OF THE YOUTH NATION
Top 5 Leisure Trends
According to Gen Z
Originally produced by YouthSight*
SAVANTA.COM
m a k e b e t t e r d e c i s i o n s

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
Who are Gen Z
in 2021?
We describe Gen Z as the generation
of young people born from 1995
onwards.
As of today (2021) the oldest are
currently 26 years old.
*This eBook was originally produced
by the YouthSight team - who are
now part of Savanta
1

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
No other research agency
knows more about Gen Z
Our bespoke research is informed by
exclusive tracking data from the UK's
leading Gen Z insight tracker, State of
the Youth Nation.
This eBook provides the stories and
patterns that have emerged from our
tracking data to reveal how Gen Z love
to spend their free time. Read on to
hear about the trends that emerged in
lockdown and whether these new
hobbies are here to stay?
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2

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
1.Gaming is the new way to
socialise - from a distance
Gaming was a popular past-time for Gen Z during
lockdown. It offered the opportunity for young people to
stay connected with their friends when they couldn't
meet in person.
Established games such as Fortnite offer Gen Z new
ways to talk and engage with friends, which became a
popular feature for new games in 2020.
41 % Source: State of the Youth Nation, 2021
DID YOU KNOW...
4 1 % o f y o u n g
p e o p l e s a y t h e y
h a v e o n l i n e o n l y
f r i e n d s
3

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
Games allow young people to connect
with other like-minded people who
share the same interests
Among Us has been really popular
with young people during the
pandemic - the game has the option to
chat throughout and connect to
people across the world through
gameplay.
PANEL MEMBER
I've been gaming a lot during
lockdown, and that's something
I didn't use to do much.
It's a nice way to socialise with
friends and play with them."
4

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
2.Gen Z are spending more
money on media and less on
going out
The pandemic has completely
disrupted Gen Z's hobbies. Many of
the things they love doing have been
put on hold, and they've found new
ways to spend their free time.
At the beginning of the year, Gen Z
were spending less money on going
out and more money on streaming
music, TV & film subscriptions and
virtual classes.
But, the pandemic has made young
people more cautious about how they
spend their money. They are taking a
more considered approach.
DID YOU KNOW...
59% of 16-24s
c o n s i d e r t h e m s e l v e s
' s a v e r s ' r a t h e r t h a n
' s p e n d e r s '
Source: State of the Youth Nation 2021
1

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
Money saving
hobbies
Watch the video about lockdown hobbies
Top 3 lockdown hobbies according to Gen Z
Reading
Cooking/
baking
Knitting/
needlework
Other popular hobbies:
Gaming
Running
Exercise / workouts
Art
Yoga / meditation
Learning a language
Walking
PANEL MEMBER
During lockdown I have taken
up baking and cooking. Before,
I used to think of it as a chore,
but now I really enjoy it.
6

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
3.TikTok is a useful source to learn more
about interests
Gen Z took up many new hobbies in
lockdown, and they were looking for
ways to learn more about them. TikTok
was the place to do it.
Daily Use of TikTok
28%
3%
7%
Apr 19 Oct 19 Apr20
Source: State of the Youth Nation, 2020
1

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
The influence of
TikTok...
Within a year (February 2020 to June
2021) we saw a significant increase in
TikTok usage among Gen Z users.
According to State of the Youth Nation,
33% had used TikTok in February 2020
(pre-pandemic), and 61% had used it in
June 2021.
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
33 %
J U N E 2 0 2 1
61 %
8

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
4.Hobbies have the power to
relieve stress for Gen Z
The pandemic has
impacted everyone's
lives and young
people in many ways
have had it toughest.
They had to cancel
plans, face exam
uncertainty and deal
with fears for their
future.
To relieve their
stresses, they're
turning to hobbies
that help them tune
out.
PANEL MEMBER
Painting. I have got into it very
much during lockdown and
enjoy it a lot. I've benefitted
from it mentally and
emotionally too."
9

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
Gen Z are less satisfied
with their own life and
the wider world
According to our data, half of Gen Z say
they are always anxious. Hobbies such as
yoga / meditation, baking, exercising and
knitting have been popular with Gen Z.
How can your brand offer Gen Z the
support they need during the pandemic?
7 7 % o f G e n Z a g r e e t h a t t h e y
f o u n d t h e c u r r e n t l o c k d o w n
h a r d e r t o c o p e w i t h t h a n t h e
p r e v i o u s o n e s
Source: Young Minds 2021
67 %
DID YOU KNOW...
6 7 % o f G e n Z b e l i e v e
t h e p a n d e m i c w i l l
h a v e a l o n g t e r m
e f f e c t o n t h e i r
m e n t a l h e a l t h
Source: State of the Youth Nation 2021

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
5.Gen Z are most looking
forward to travelling again
Gen Z are going to be the first in line
when the travel gates reopen - and
they may just be the key to the sector's
recovery.
Gen Z has always been keen to take a
break and go on more holidays and
during the pandemic we have seen this
rise to an all time high. Will we see the
return of the group holiday or will Gen
Z choose to travel in smaller groups?
Is ambiguity around travel restrictions
disengaging Gen Z?
DID YOU KNOW...
4 2 % o f G e n Z a r e
m o s t l o o k i n g
f o r w a r d t o t a k i n g
h o l i d a y o r a s h o r t
b r e a k
Source: State of the Youth Nation, 2021
19
9

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
Missing out and
catching up...
Gen Z have missed out on so much
over the last two years and as
lockdown lifts, it'll be the end of JOMO
(joy of missing out).
Many predict the return of the 'roaring
twenties' as Gen Z grab new
experiences that they've been missing
out on. Gen Z are looking forward to
getting back to concerts / gigs /
festivals, attending or participating in
arts or cultural activity, going to the
cinema, eating out, and even clubbing
and drinking with their friends.
Data (below) from State of the Youth Nation shows
that the top three leisure activities that Gen Z want
to start doing more of. Lockdown 3.0 was the
height of FOMO (fear of missing out) for Gen Z who
were desperate for change.
What would you like to start doing regularly in your
free time?
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Jun 19
Aug 19
Oct 19
Dec 19
Feb 20
Apr 20
Jun 20
Aug 20
Oct 20
Holiday
Cinema
Eating out
Dec 20
Feb 21
Source: State of the Youth Nation, 2020
12

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
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1

G E N Z L E I S U R E T R E N D S
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1

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