‘Golden gap year’ trend spotted in...

Over-55s to spend around US$6,300 each on holidays, poll finds

The ‘golden gap year’, in which retirees take extended holidays after leaving work, has emerged as a travel trend, a recent survey showed.

Surveying 2,000 people, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines found almost a quarter (24%) of those aged 55-plus also claim they have gotten more adventurous with age and three in 10 (29%) said they travel more following retirement.

More than a third (34%) of retirees claimed they never took the same trip twice and 38% said they were planning to visit multiple countries in 2024 with 35% of over-55s surveyed choosing cruising as the best way to explore multiple destinations.

The poll of more than 2,000 people found that people were actively choosing to set money aside for travel when they retire with 27% already having a savings fund available for travel.

Journey experience co-ordinator James Moss said: “The gap year is usually a rite of passage traditionally associated with school-leavers, but our research shows the prevalence of what has been dubbed ‘the golden gap year’ where people over 55 are travelling more than ever before, particularly after retirement, which seems to have unleashed their sense of adventure even further.

“Our guests are adventurous, curious and excited about the world around them. They recognise the value in cruising as a way to visit multiple countries, immerse themselves in new cultures, try new foods and explore the hidden gems.

“They really love our smaller ships, which can take them to more interesting places – to the furthest reaches of Norway’s lesser-known fjords, through narrow waterways and canals and to the very heart of some of the world’s most beautiful cities.”

UNLOCK A FUTURE OF UNLIMITED EARNINGS
BY STARTING YOUR OWN HOME-BASED TRAVEL BUSINESS TODAY