Voyages Of Discovery
It seems that an increasing number of British people are choosing educational holidays instead of the ‘fly and flop’ beach variety.
A survey by the market research analyst, Mintel, found that 36 per cent of those questioned believed that educating themselves about the place they were visiting was an important part of the holiday experience.
One in five enjoyed learning new skills on holiday, while in the past three years, six in ten adults had visited a museum while on their travels.
Mintel’s senior travel and tourism analyst, Tom Rees, said factors such as the increasing number of specialist products, more active styles of holiday-taking, the internet and the expansion of low-cost air travel had created demand for new destinations and novel experiences.
“Learning to Tango in Buenos Aires or to cook Vietnamese in Saigon offers a double whammy of intense local flavour and the chance for people to take their hobby to the next level,” said Rees.
Group-based learning holidays also have a strong appeal to the growing singles population, especially females. “Meeting others with shared values and interests will be a key driver in future years, and online social networking will play an important role in organising learning events and trips,” said Rees.
Three of the fastest growing areas in this sector are holidays involving photography, cookery and dance.
by Andy Moreton
