Buzz reveals demand for ‘Skill Escapes’

Thursday, 23 May, 2002 0

Research released by no-frills airline Buzz reports a trend for UK holidaymakers to seek hobby holidays rather than the traditional beach holidays and city breaks.

The airline says that annual beach holidays and city breaks are now being supplemented by more divergent reasons to go abroad, facilitated through wider European route networks and low fares. It says that nearly half (43%) of low cost flyers have taken a learning break abroad, and 86% intend to opt for a Skill Escape.

The report, undertaken by buzz to help understand future independent traveller trends, found that the top three things people would like to learn are a new language (64%), culinary skills (40%) and wine appreciation (33%). Other popular skills holidaymakers would like to learn include yoga and alternative health (27%) and sailing (22%).

Buzz said that with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) figures showing a year on year rise in adult education in the UK, Skill Escaping reflects a growing trend for self-improvement, with 73% of buzz respondents naming this as the key booking driver. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of flyers stated that learning abroad felt more like a holiday than learning in the UK, and 21% agreed it was more authentic.

The report revealed a diverse number of reasons for choosing to learn a new skill abroad. Half of all respondents agreed it was a good way to meet new people – perhaps why 14% would go alone and 33% of respondents would opt to travel with a friend rather than partner. Mixing a challenge with the chance to relax was cited by 80% of holidaymakers.

Commenting on the Skill Escapes trend, educational psychologist Susan Marchant-Haycox said: “Holidays are actually more conducive to learning – a stimulating environment matched with being more relaxed means that people learn much faster and retain more information. Hobby-holidays are also a particularly good relaxant for people with stressful lives or jobs who find it difficult to switch off at the start of their break. They need something to occupy their minds away from work or home life as well as time to relax and a Skill Escape is the ideal opportunity to combine the two.”