More Brits taking 'grown-up gap years'

New research has revealed that a growing number of Britons are taking gap years later in life.

Over a third of adults aged between 45 and 54 are considering going on a "grown-up gap year", compared with almost 45 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds, the study by insurer Hiscox revealed.

Popular destinations for these grown-up gappers include Australia and New Zealand (50 per cent of the vote), Europe (27 per cent) and the USA (26 per cent). Locations such as Thailand and Vietnam also scored highly for those looking to jet off to Asia.

Older travellers from south-western and north-eastern England, as well as Scotland, were found to be the most likely to stray off the beaten path and explore somewhere less well travelled than more traditional destinations.

"We are seeing a more discerning group of mature travellers emerging who expect more from their gap year experience," commented Austyn Tusler of Hiscox.

Recent research by the Year Out Group found that India, Peru and Tanzania are set to be the most popular destinations for gap year travellers in 2007.

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