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4.3. Generational differences in post-trip satisfaction
Significant generational differences are also observed in post-trip satisfaction,
particularly regarding the role of social media.
For Baby Boomers and Generation X, satisfaction is primarily derived from the
actual travel experience, with social media playing only a supplementary role.
“…I was just happy to reconnect with friends, it didn't significantly affect my prior
satisfaction.” (Baby Boomer 2)
“…The trip still made me happy, whether I interacted or not didn't matter…” (Gen X 2)
Generation Y represents a transitional group, where satisfaction is influenced by
both the travel experience and subsequent social media interaction.
“…subsequent social media interaction can increase or decrease that satisfaction
depending on the level of interaction.” (Gen Y 1)
In contrast, Generation Z and Generation Alpha are strongly influenced by social
media feedback. Content creation and interaction play a significant role in shaping their
satisfaction.
“Social media interaction really increased satisfaction… it made me feel like I had a
worthwhile trip…” (Gen Z 3)
“…positive interactions helped me look back on the trip more happily, with more
emotions, more memories, and more satisfaction.” (Gen Alpha 4)
4.4. Explaining generational differences in social media-related travel experiences
The generational differences observed in motivations, usage behaviors, and the
influence of social media interaction can largely be understood through the extent to
which social media is embedded in each generation’s daily life.
For older generations (Baby Boomers and Gen X), whose communication habits
were shaped in predominantly offline contexts, social media tends to play a
supplementary role, mainly for staying connected and accessing information. In contrast,
for younger generations (Gen Y, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha), social media is deeply integrated
into everyday life, functioning as a key space for communication, entertainment, and self-
expression.
Consequently, the difference in motivation for sharing will result in differences in
terms of the sharing behavior and the forms of expression. Older users tend to share to
preserve memories and maintain relationships, whereas younger users are more inclined
to use sharing as a way to present themselves, validate their experiences, and engage
with their social networks. As a result, content created by younger generations is often
more diverse and carefully curated, while older generations generally prefer simpler and
less edited forms.
These patterns also extend to emotional responses. For older generations, social
media interaction plays a relatively minor role and does not significantly shape their
overall experience. For younger generations, however, the travel experience often
continues online through ongoing interaction, making their emotions more responsive to
feedback and more enduring over time. In addition, this continuous exposure to travel-
related content helps younger users sustain and prolong positive emotions over time,
whereas for older generations, revisiting such content tends to evoke only short-term
recollection.
Overall, the results of the qualitative research indicate the important role of social
media interaction in the expansion of the domestic tourism experience of Vietnamese
tourists. This is demonstrated through behaviors such as viewing and following content,

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