The Rise of Travel in Retirement

We spend the majority of our lives in the typical 9-5 grind. Working away to make a living and taking the odd holiday when we can. When retirement comes, for many it is a chance to rest and recover from a lifetime of work. For others however, it’s when life really begins.

In years gone by, extended travelling and gap years were the privileged adventures of undergraduates and teenagers. That, however, is not the case today. Students are no longer the only ones dreaming of discovering the world. With far-flung destinations now much more accessible, more retirees are taking advantage of their new found surplus of time and using it to travel.

The UK Office for National Statistics show the number of over 65 year olds traveling overseas grew 13.7% between 2014-2016 with over 60s now accounting for 2 billion of international travellers each year. And it isn’t just city breaks retirees are heading for. The rise in popularity of adventure travel is seeing more and more retiree travellers reaching for their hiking boots for that feeling of pure exploration.

In the past many retirees have stayed away from traveling to far flung regions of the world due to a reluctance to travel solo, affordability, issues around insurance and a nervousness around their safety. Health concerns are also a significant stumbling block many come up against. As we age, we are naturally less mobile and at a slightly higher risk of wider health issues. Now however, more and more companies are accommodating the needs of older travellers, meaning exploring the world is becoming much more accessible.

We’ve taken a look at the rise in retirement travel and what makes us want to use this new-found time to discover the world.