If you plan to retire in 2025 and want to spend your golden years traveling but are unsure where to go, don’t worry. You’ve come to the right place. Not only do we have a ton of ideas for the perfect post-retirement trip, but Travelsphere has also compiled a list of the top-trending destinations for the newly retired.
In January, the expert-led tour company released its research on the top trending destinations for the newly retired, using its internal booking data to make its list. After crunching the numbers, the team named Italy the go-to spot for the newly retired. It added that “a striking 65 percent of Travelsphere’s total Italian bookings come from those who are newly retired.”
“Italy has a special place in the hearts of many, with everything from the cuisine, the Italian way of life, and history making it an ideal getaway that isn’t too far from home,” Charlotte Field, the marketing director at Travelsphere, said in a statement provided to Travel + Leisure. “It’s well connected with regular flights, and traveling around the country itself is made simple with train travel and internal flights being affordable and effective. We see it as an accessible adventure, but with so much to offer, it’s easy to understand why it has landed in our top spot.”
However, Italy isn’t the only place new retirees book. Coming in a close second is the U.S., which makes the list as the company mainly services United Kingdom retirees.
“With newfound freedom from work’s daily routine, this stage of life offers the perfect opportunity to embrace long-haul adventures,” Field added. “It’s no wonder these destinations are shining through in our research.”
Also making an appearance in the top 10 is Canada in third, followed by India, Spain, Croatia, and Turkey. Vietnam and Cambodia tied at No. 8, while Australia and China rounded out the top 10.
And while all these destinations are dreamy, what stood out to the team most is the fact that long-haul travel is back in full force for retirees for the first time since the pandemic.
“People want to see more of the world and experience new ways of life after being robbed of this during Covid,” Field added. “Our data has shown a huge rise in the revenge travelers taking trips during their golden gap year.”
See more about taking your “golden gap year,” then click over to our list of 15 trips you need to take as soon as you retire.
