Middle aged couples who missed out on university gap years are a new breed of holidaymaker looking for multiple holiday experiences, a P&O Cruises survey shows.
The cruise line has identified people in their forties and fifties who prefer an eclectic mix of exotic experiences on holiday rather than spend one or two weeks in a single destination.
The Top 10 Dream Holiday Survey, based on a poll of 500 people, reveals that long haul locations dominate with holidaymakers looking for both adventure and relaxation.
Released to coincide with the launch of P&O Cruises’ 2006 world cruise brochure, the top 10 destinations were:
1) Visiting the Maldives
2) Seeing the Hong Kong skyline
3) Exploring Rio de Janeiro
4) Sailing in the Caribbean
5) Driving across Australia
6) Shopping in New York
7) Island hopping in the Seychelles
8) Exploring China’s ancient heritage
9) A safari holiday
10) Chilling out on a Hawaiian beach
The company claims to have identified a distinct change in passenger profile in the world cruise market.
Head of brand marketing Philip Price said: “There are now many more couples in their forties and fifties who see world cruises filling the gap year they never had as students. They still want to see new cultures and have new experiences, but they want them in rather more comfort and style.
“Today’s travellers are more discerning than ever before, they set their sights higher and they want experiences as well as amazing destinations. The emphasis is on sun, sea and experiences, with all ages quizzed keen to explore as much of the world as possible.
“Time has become a precious commodity. People work so hard these days they want value for time as well as value for money.”
Report by Phil Davies
