Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia demand booming with young adults seeking gap year adventures
As the end of term looms and exam results are on the horizon, many young adults will be thinking about setting off on a coming-of-age travel experience.
The urge to see the world, meet new people and make lasting memories, drives thousands of 18-21-year-olds to have extended holidays over the summer and into the year ahead.
And while the cost-of-living crisis means money is tighter, adventurous travel experiences are something that people don’t want to forgo. With a ‘now or never’ mindset, young travellers are spending longer, going further, and seeking out more enriching experiences to tick off their bucket list.
The Adventure People has key insight into this sector of the market, selling over 6000 tours worldwide from all the major escorted tour companies, as well as its own small-group tours working with local operators to offer an authentic and ethical experience. Analysing booking trends for the past six months (Jan-Jun 2023) in the 18-21 age group, the growth is staggering.
Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia tours are up between 414% – 528% year on year. While most young adults will combine escorted tours with independent time spent living, working, and travelling in-destination, some of the most popular group tours this year are:
An 11 Day Ultimate Thailand adventure, Bangkok to Koh Phangan exploring infamous nightlife, temples, jungle and beaches.
A Vietnam Tour in 15 days travelling south to north from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi taking in tribal villages, food markets, kayaking in Halong Bay and a homestay in Pu Luong National Park.
A Three Week East Coast Australia journey from Sydney to Cairns via Byron Bay, with sailing in the Whitsundays, camping on Fraser Island, Surfers Paradise and the Great Barrier Reef.
Iconic experiences such as Everest Base Camp and the Inca Trail have also seen huge increases, indicating young travellers are seeking to add more challenging and adventurous experiences to their bucket lists. A Four Day Inca Trail trek is especially popular as is the Female-Only Everest Base Camp trek.
Chris Roche, CEO of The Adventure People said: “This surge in demand suggests that young travellers are more determined to see the world than ever before. While the past few years forced many to abandon travelling plans, our booking data shows that young adults once more feel confident to go out and explore, with long-haul destinations firmly back on their radar.”
Closer to home, Croatia is the firm favourite with 18–21-year-olds – and with its combination of island hopping, vibrant nightlife, picturesque cities and abundance of activities and water sports – it’s no wonder. An 8 day Croatian Islands Multisport trip is the top-seller – combining sea kayaking, sailing, cycling, hiking and going round-trip from Dubrovnik, it’s a great add-on to exploring the country.
“These huge increases in demand indicate that gap years and youth travel are thriving,” continued Roche. “This sector of the market is typically more likely to spend several months to a year away, and so interspersing escorted tours with independent travel is the ideal blend. They can find their feet and meet like-minded travellers with the security of a local guide and then venture out on their own or with new-found friends.”
The cost-of-living crisis is not lost on this age group, with longer duration trips indicating a desire to make money stretch further in countries with lower costs, and utilising monthly payment plans to spread the cost of trips over several months.
For more information see www.theadventurepeople.com