Over-50 holidaymakers becoming more adventurous

More than one quarter of respondents to the Saga-commissioned survey predict their holiday habits will change in the future and this is most notable amongst 50-59 year olds (33%) and those who are not retired (34%).

Over a third of those who think their future holiday destinations will change said they will travel to destinations that do not involve a long flight and this is more common among older respondents than young.  In contrast, younger respondents, estimate they will travel to more exotic destinations in the future.

When asked about the types of holidays they will take, 43% suggest this will change in the future with one third of those mostly travelling on touring holidays, while 21% will choose a relaxing resort. Just over one in ten will mostly travel on cruises.

Of those who see their travel plans changing in the future, more than half believe the frequency at which they go on holiday will change whilst 39% think the length of their holiday will change and just under a third propose travelling at different times of the year.

Half the respondents also believe they will travel on holiday more often – up to three or four times a year and more than half again of those respondents were men. In turn, three in ten claim they will go on holiday less frequently in the future, with this figure higher among women than men (37% vs. 25%).

Of those expecting to travel at a different time of year in the future (41%) a similar proportion (40%) will avoid travelling during school holidays.

Respondents were also asked about how they thought the types of holidays would look in five years’ time.  Almost half (45%) expect holidays to remain largely unchanged in the future, whilst 38% think staying in more unknown areas of the world will become more popular in the future.  Nearly one in ten suggest people will travel abroad much less frequently and 7% expect travelling more freely into space to become more popular.

“As people approach retirement, they can start to think more about how they will spend their free time,” said Saga Travel’s Louis Myers. “Who wouldn’t want to spend that time abroad and seeing the world?  With more disposable incomes and a thirst for adventure, taking holidays off the beaten track and experiencing different cultures is an enticing way to enjoy your retirement.

“We see more over-50s opting for adventures in the Borneo rainforest, or following the silk routes in Uzbekistan and trekking high into the Andes to see Machu Picchu, like the discover-explorer Hiram Bingham, rather than taking their holidays for a week in Eastbourne – as lovely as it is