, visiting historical places (88.1 per cent), dining (85.7 per cent) and shopping (77.4 per cent). And sunbathing? Just 1.2 per cent. After all, who has time to be supine on the sand when there's so much holidaying to be done? 'Since the pandemic, many customers have traded in the 'fly-and-flop' winter holiday in favour of something richer,' says the general manager of Intrepid Travel, Hazel McGuire. 'Many of these are what we call 'victory-lap' travellers – people who may have visited as backpackers or on a budget and want to revisit at a slower pace.' The co-founder of Original Travel, Tom Barber, agrees, saying customers are trading typical fly-and-flop spots for sunshine in more exciting destinations. 'In 2021, the Maldives was our second most popular destination, and Grenada and Mauritius were in the top 10,' he says. 'This year, our most popular winter-sun destinations are Egypt, Indonesia and South Africa, and there is no Caribbean in the top 10 at all.' So where should you head for adventure and enrichment this winter? If budget is a consideration, long haul is your best bet (a Post Office travel money report released this week shows the pound currently goes furthest in Asia), though there's the lure of new tours and itineraries to consider, too – both of){kind=link}
From paddleboarding and horse riding to hiking and surfing, here’s how to go beyond the beach towel and get more from your winter-sun escape
Winter is coming. Half-term is around the corner. Soon it will be Hallowe’en, which will sound the Christmas klaxon and before you know it you’ll be Googling: “How hot is Seville in November?”.
And if summer holidays are about switching off and flopping onto a beach, winter sun is increasingly about adventure: stepping out of your comfort zone, while still getting that hit of Vitamin D.
It won’t come as a surprise that this is a charge being led by midlife travellers, who are seeking deeper, richer experiences from their holidays. According to a survey of 300 senior travellers by the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, their most preferred holiday activities were city sightseeing (89.3 per cent), visiting historical places (88.1 per cent), dining (85.7 per cent) and shopping (77.4 per cent). And sunbathing? Just 1.2 per cent. After all, who has time to be supine on the sand when there’s so much holidaying to be done?
“Since the pandemic, many customers have traded in the ‘fly-and-flop’ winter holiday in favour of something richer,” says the general manager of Intrepid Travel, Hazel McGuire. “Many of these are what we call ‘victory-lap’ travellers – people who may have visited as backpackers or on a budget and want to revisit at a slower pace.”