The days of Brits abroad lazing by the pool appear to be over, a new study has revealed.
The research, conducted by tour operator Jules Verne, found that opportunities to do cultural activities (43%) and see wildlife (32%) came high on the list when booking a breakaway.
Asking 2,000 UK holidaymakers which activities had the most influence on their booking decisions, walking trips came in as the most popular excursion. Whether trekking the Camino de Santiago, following the Inca Trail or even heading over to Hadrian?s Wall, more than a quarter (28%) of British holidaymakers are using their time off to explore the world on foot.
Brits are looking to expand their mental horizons, with 23% stating they have booked a holiday to see a specific museum, festival or carnival with Venice Carnival (Italy), Oktoberfest (Germany) and La Tomatina (Spain) listed as some of the top draws. Some British tourists are following their gut when it comes to their holidays; 17% admitted to booking a trip in order to try a specific dish of the region with pizza in Naples, barbecues in Texas and a trip to Noma in Copenhagen just a few of the culinary delicacies that have tempted holidaymakers in recent years.
For one in ten British tourists however, a walk to take in the scenery after a once in a lifetime meal is not quite enough to satisfy their adrenaline-fuelled bucket lists. Eleven per cent of holidaymakers has booked a holiday with the specific intent of undertaking a thrilling activity such as scuba diving or traversing sand dunes in a 4x4 buggy. The research found that men were twice as likely to look for an action-packed getaway, with 40-44 years olds coming out as the most adventurous age group in the country. Meanwhile, one in ten 55-64-year-olds have been on a holiday specifically to do an adventurous activity.
Prini Patel, head of marketing for the operator, said: ?A holiday can come in many forms and with the variety the world has to offer, this is a large part of what makes travelling so enjoyable. We wanted to look into exactly what was motivating British tourists as they decided where to spend their time off in 2019. With Brits moving away from inactive breaks towards more activity-based trips, it?s clear that holidays are now much more than a fortnight at the beach.?
