For UK school leavers and university graduates, taking a gap year before embarking on their next stage of education or work is a widely promoted option. Long viewed as an indulgence of middle-class children supported by their parents’ financial resources, taking a gap year has moved into the mainstream, having earned the popular designation of a ‘rite of passage’. Now promoted by schools, travel suppliers and governments, youth gap years are an important economic activity and expanding travel product segment, especially in the UK.

From the popularity and success of this segment, the concept of adult gap years has emerged. With the UK as its most developed source market, demand for adult gap travel is spreading. Although youth gap travel is well defined, the parameters and market activity of adult gap travel market are just emerging.

Adult gap travel includes distinctive characteristics that make this a promising travel segment for consumers and operators alike. Yet, beyond recognition that adult gap travel exists and is ‘hot’, there is little agreement as to its scope and future dynamics. The diversity of who takes an adult gap, where they go and what they do makes this a challenging – and exciting – consumer activity to define, measure and monitor.

This report analyses activity in the market, navigating overlapping activities and bringing clarity to fuzzy trends. It provides insight into the developed UK market and activity in emerging ones such as the US, Australia and Canada. Consumer activity, key market dynamics and future prospects are investigated.

Key report topics:

Is adult gap year travel a distinct segment or simply a variation of youth gap year travel?

What product life cycle will the adult gap year segment follow? Will it shadow the youth gap year segment?

Who are adult gap travellers and what motivates them?

How can existing and new suppliers tap into this market?

What new products and services are catering to the adult gap year segment?