Lifestyle, Holidays & Travel
According to research conducted by Audley Retirement, over-55s are now far more satisfied with their lifestyle than 18-34 year-olds, and over half of those surveyed said they still had ambitions they wanted to satisfy. This increasing sense of adventure among retirees is reflected in their choice of holiday destination, with many opting to travel further afield and for longer periods of time. Audley’s CEO, Nick Sanderson, commented: ‘The current generation of over-55s is, on the whole, healthier and wealthier than ever before. They have a myriad of different goals and aspirations that influence their views on how best to enjoy their later years.’
As well as being more satisfied with life than their younger counterparts, the UK’s current retirees are better off, more ambitious and more adventurous than previous generations. With the time and means to travel, 2014 is set to be the year of exploring for Brits, with over-55s reportedly the most adventurous travellers. According to findings by Celebrity Cruises, 23 percent are keen to do something completely different when they go away this year, compared with just 16 percent of under-24s.
And, judging by research carried out by Gnu Insurance, it’s not just the purpose of the holiday that defies the stereotype: it’s the selection of destinations. Over the past few years, over-55s have increasingly been heading to party capitals such as Ibiza, Lanzarote and Rio de Janeiro, destinations traditionally thought of as clubbing capitals for those in their twenties, with a third of retirees surveyed saying that they were going away specifically ‘to do something adventurous’.
Research by Travel Supermarket suggests that those in their fifties favour city breaks over places such as Istanbul or Marrakech, where they can soak up some new, exotic culture; those in their sixties go for longer, more expensive holidays further away, in places such as the USA and Australia, while those in their seventies are more likely to opt for a cruise around the Mediterranean, Baltic or Caribbean.
The positivity and curiosity of the over-55s is in stark contrast with the younger generation; Audley’s research revealed that only one in five of those surveyed aged 18-34 said they were satisfied with their current lifestyle, and nearly a third stated that they imagined their life in retirement to be better than it is now. Because over-55s are now living longer, more varied, financially stable lives, we are seeing the emergence of an inspirational generation of people who are achieving their life goals during retirement, and constantly challenging the status quo.
