Adults go out to see the world for long periods or years of interruption.
Based on age and leisure time for travel, when it comes to gap years for the “older generations” there are two basic types: adult gap years and golden gap years, also known as empty years of silver or middle age, and the empty years of gray or boomers. .
The adult gap year is mostly associated with people who need a break from high stress due to work burnout or high pressure and are looking for ways to take more than a couple of weeks to travel and escape the routine.
The golden gap year refers to the over 50s, usually retirees and boomers who go out to see the world. Research from different travel-related organizations shows that older generations have a growing interest in serious travel after retirement.
The joy of putting everything on hold to freely roam the world is no longer just for … [+]
Adult gap year or 'Silver'
Generally understood as a period of development and self-reflection through travel that lasts 12 months, but can range from three to 24 months, gap years are associated with young people about to enter the realities of adulthood, typically recent high school and college graduates. and young people taking a break before studies or work.
Gap years originated in the UK and are now a well-established concept in Scandinavian countries, among others, as a 'rite of passage' for teenagers and 20-somethings to prepare for the 'real world'.
But the ability to put everything on hold to freely roam the world, enjoy immersive adventures, sustainable travel, volunteer, work or live like a local for a year is no longer a privilege exclusive to young people. More adults are finding new ways to escape.
“If you daydream about a break from the stress of work, you can imagine a relaxing week of vacation or a long weekend,” she writes. Euronews. “But some people opt for something more ambitious. Called mini-sabbaticals, adult gap years or gap months, these extended breaks range from quitting a job to taking time off to working remotely from a different location.”
The trend is so clear that the gap year tourism sector now includes 'Adult Gap Year' alternatives for people who want a professional break.
“These travelers are looking for authentic and stimulating travel experiences, which often include volunteering and adventure,” writes the UK Foreign Office in a research report on the market potential of gap year tourism in Europe
“People aged 18-25 are more likely to take a gap year than other age groups. Older people are also taking gap years. They may be taking a career break, a sabbatical or a long extended trip “.
A third of people who take leap years are now over 30.
If not now, when?
“If you're daydreaming about a break from stress, you might envision a relaxing week of vacation or a long weekend,” reports the Associated Press. “But some people opt for something bigger, finding ways to get away from the routine longer or more varied.” History cites numerous examples of people who have taken an adult sabbatical.
“Extended breaks range from leaving a job to taking a leave of absence to working remotely in a new location… It's about stepping outside of the expected and recharging.”
Realizing that burnout is a problem, American companies are offering breaks as a low-cost way to deal with employee burnout, Kira Schrabram, leader of the Sabbatical Project at the University of Washington.
But this alternative is not limited to workers with a lot of tension.
“A third of people taking gap years are now over 30,” writes The Broke Backpacker in an article on “Gap Years For Grown Ups – Hitting The Road as an Adult,” which includes practical tips on how to prepare for the experience.
“Many 'empty nesters' suddenly find themselves with a wealth of time and income available at their fingertips… Others simply decide it's time to take a sabbatical or career break, rather than leaving work directly to travel .”
Others, the article adds, seek more substantial experiences to put in the memory bank “before the twilight of life descends.”
How and where?
For many seniors, the retirement years are a time to complete their bucket list … [+]
The hardest part once you make the decision to do so, according to people who have taken an adult gap year, is choosing where to go based on conditions such as finances, safety and health care. Then comes the planning and preparations, and for that, the internet is full of tips, guides, memoirs and blogs.
Do it SMART, advises the Slow Travel Blog in an article on “how to plan a gap year in your 30s.” The acronym stands for 'Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely'.
While the extended break isn't an entirely new concept, the work-life disruption of the pandemic led to a noticeable increase in people questioning whether they really want to work as usual.
With the possibility of remote working becoming 'normal', the trend has spread and Europe is among the favorite places to do it.
France, Iceland, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey appear among the favorites for single women or men, couples, families or groups of friends.
The Financial review reports on the tour of a couple in their 50s from Sydney, Australia, who “with grown children and their own parents can still take care of themselves” took a year-long tour of Europe.
“Although they had more money to spend than their younger counterparts, they chose to travel in a similar way to Gen Z. This meant they had a daily budget for accommodation, opted for buses and trains in instead of airplanes to reduce their carbon footprint and they relied heavily on their smartphones.”
They started in the south of France, including Montpellier, Avignon and Marseille. They then flew to Cyprus to explore the ruins of Paphos, Limassol and Nicosia. From there to Athens, Turkey before heading to Switzerland via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.
The south of Spain followed with visits to Córdoba and Granada. They “closed” the trip with visits to England, Ireland, Portugal and the Netherlands before returning to Australia and work.
Boomer gap year
For many seniors, the retirement years are the time to complete their bucket list. This older generation can now opt for longer and more ambitious trips and the travel industry is increasing its offerings for older travelers.
“I've always been a bit alarmed at the prospect of retiring to a little place in the country and sitting with roses and waiting to die,” mused Mark Hainge, 65, speaking to the guardian after completing his first year of gray break with his wife. “This doesn't suit me at all. To have the opportunity to do something completely different is very refreshing. I absolutely loved it.”
For many 60-somethings, the best adventures happen during their “gray gap years” of travel. “Boomers are eschewing traditional cruise vacations in favor of exploring the world with a backpack or in a camper van.”
During Europe's off-peak seasons, while schools are in session, quaint towns, bike paths, walking trails, hiking trails and beaches, among others, are occupied by boomers.
These are some of the activities of a generation approaching their sabbatical after retirement.
While the stereotype of the boomer traveler is a luxury cruise funded by housing market gains, the over-60s who spoke to the guardian he felt “privileged to be able to take the reduced approach usually associated with younger people”.
Among the most popular options, the document includes “volunteering”, with older people wanting to bring decades of skills to the job market; camper van trips; learning-based trips like yoga or painting; and even ski seasons, with some chalet companies preferring to hire retirees because they work harder than young people.
A Skyscanner travel trends report found that “over-65s, who grew up in an era when travel was more expensive and less accessible, valued travel more than any other age group.”
According to a recent Eurostat study, “senior tourism seems to contribute to combating seasonality, as tourists aged 65 and over spend 58% of their tourist nights in high season (March to June and from September to November), while tourists aged 15 to 64 are more likely to travel during the peak months of July and August.
