Half of all holidays taken by older travellers

PA

Around half of all holidays abroad are now taken by older travellers, according to new research.

Overseas trips taken by those over 45 rose from 47 per cent in 2006 to an estimated 50 per cent in 2011, according to a study by holiday company Page & Moy.

The report also suggested that the trend for older Britons travelling abroad will continue.

UK travellers between 45 and 54 take more holidays than any other age group, while 45 to 64-year-olds account for 41 per cent of all expenditure in holidays abroad.

The report found that over-65s went on holiday the most frequently, with 28 per cent taking two or more foreign breaks a year.

As many as 40 per cent of trips abroad taken by over-65s in 2010 were 14 nights or longer and nine per cent were a month or longer.

It was revealed that holidaymakers over the age of 55 were most likely to book their entire trip online, with two thirds doing so.

Group CEO of the Page & Moy Travel Group, Ian Smith said: 'Many of today's older travellers have time, money and the internet at their fingertips to entice and enable.

'The UK's older population is growing at the fastest rate, accounting for 17 per cent of our population today, but is expected to rise to 23 per cent by 2035, so older travellers will continue to dominate the tourism offering at home and abroad.'

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