Exotic hols now twice-in-a-lifetime

13 January 2014 09:24

Once-in-a-lifetime visits to places like Thailand are now being repeated by many holidaymakers

Once-in-a-lifetime visits to places like Thailand are now being repeated by many holidaymakers

At one stage, visits to Australia, the US and Thailand were deemed by most as once-in-a-lifetime holidays.

But now new research shows the destinations are becoming twice-in-a-lifetime ones for many British travellers.

Almost a third of those surveyed said they have already revisited a long-haul destination they originally thought they would only visit the once.

And a further 50% said they were planning to repeat what had originally been a 'holiday of a lifetime' sometime in the future, highlighting the growing importance of having worldwide travel insurance.

Three-quarters of those surveyed by Kuoni said they had revisited a city, country or resort at least once, having fallen in love with it during their first visit.

According to the research, the list of the most popular twice-in-a-lifetime holiday destinations is topped by the US, Australia, Italy, Barbados and Canada.

Kuoni's managing director Derek Jones said a generation of adventurous travellers who had backpacked around the world in their 20s were now returning in later life for holidays in places such as Thailand, India, Malaysia and Australia.

Other places British holidaymakers are keen to revisit include Egypt, Mexico and the Maldives.

He said the trend had been made possible by worldwide travel becoming "more affordable and accessible than it has ever been before".

He added: "Almost three-quarters of people were likely to return to a 'once in a lifetime' destination because they were so overwhelmed by the scenery and landscapes, while the same percentage wanted time to experience things they had missed on their original visit."

Other reasons cited for revisiting former exotic holiday haunts include wanting to experience them with a new partner or additional member of the family, and marking a special event such as a honeymoon or landmark birthday or anniversary.

Of those retracing their footsteps years later, one in five said they had gone at the same time of year, with 10% saying they had done exactly the same things second time around.

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