Over a third
said their break would be to simply see more of the world
TTG Intelligence
How to bridge the age gap
Growing numbers of people are looking to take a career break and go travelling – how can agents tap into this ‘mature gap year’ market? Lucy Siebert reports
you are not alone, and this new group of “mature gap year travellers” could provide agents with a new, and growing market. New research by Souk Response shows that 58% of over-30s would consider an extended break of six weeks or more. And a career break, either planned
D
or enforced, is the factor most likely to prompt mature gap yearers to take the plunge and go travelling. Among younger respondents 14% said they would try to go travelling abroad before they settled down, while for 5% of people getting divorced would be the catalyst.
o you dream of packing it all in and flying off for a few months of adventure in exotic climes? Well if so,
The research showed that for most people, the main reason to go travelling was simply to see the world or have an adventure, with over half citing these factors. Interestingly, the choice of destination for mature gap travellers was slightly different from what it may have been for them a decade or two earlier. While south-east Asia is a favourite with gap-year youngsters, only 15% of more mature travellers cited it as their top destination choice. Instead, Australasia nabbed top spot
with 55% of respondents wanting to travel there, followed by Canada (41%), north America (40%), and Europe (36%).
And while they are away on their travels most mature gap
travellers plan to mainly visit natural wonders (76%) and learn more about different cultures (68%).
Planning ahead Of course, taking a career break, particularly a voluntary one, is not easy. No surprise then that 43% said they would plan their trip at least a year in advance with nearly half budgeting between £5,000 and £10,000pp for a trip of more than six weeks. This group also places a premium
on research, with 85% saying they will use the internet to plan their trip and two thirds booking their flights well in advance.
This is not a spur of the moment decision and represents a significant financial and time investment, so should give agents the opportunity to offer specialist advice on niche products and experiences.
Databox 58% 20 09.02.2012
2nd floor, Magdalen House, 148 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2TU T: +44 (0)20 3117 0950 F: +44 (0)20 3117 0951
Top destinations Planning period
Fewer than three months ahead – 4%
OVER-30S WHO WOULD CONSIDER AN EXTENDED BREAK
Three to six months – 12%
More than a year ahead – 43%
Six months to a year – 41%
However, the
traditional gap year market is also expected to perform strongly in 2012, with STA Travel suggesting that as many as three million young people in the UK will take a gap year this year. The youth travel specialist expects to see its average customer age drop from 23 years last year as students look to escape high unemployment and soaring university fees in the UK. And like the mature market, young
gap-yearers are placing a premium on careful planning of their trip. “Never before has gap year
travel been so meticulously planned. Traditionally gap trips were a full 12 months, however for our customers last year the average trip length was 54 days,” said John Constable, STA Travel group managing director. “Usually these mini-gap year trips
are for a specific reason, such as to take part in a volunteer project, go to a festival or go on a language or skill course overseas,” he added.
Australasia – 55% Canada – 41% North America – 40% Europe – 36%
South America – 30%
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