Travellers Choose Nightlife Over Wildlife as Northern Lights Top Holiday Wish-List

April 11, 2011 - PRLog -- With April symbolising the start of the new holiday year for many employees, a recent survey undertaken by travel specialist The Adventure Company has revealed that the enigmatic Aurora Borealis is the leading light when it comes to the holiday experience wish-list.

In the travel specialist’s poll of over 8000 UK travellers, the Northern Lights topped the league of iconic sights that Brits would most like to experience over the coming year with 16% of votes, narrowly pipping Machu Picchu (15.7%) - which this year celebrates the 100th anniversary of being ‘discovered’ by Hiram Bingham - to the ‘must-see’ post.  

Explaining the rising popularity of this natural phenomenon Claire Wilson, MD of The Adventure Company, said: “It seems that recent shows such as the BBC’s “Wonders of the Solar System” and Joanna Lumley’s own Northern Lights experiences have really inspired us Brits to look up for holiday inspiration. Coupled with natural displays such as a partial eclipse of the sun and a meteor shower being visible in a few fortunate corners of the UK over the last few months along with last month’s super moon, it looks like the UK’s fascination with ‘star-gazing’ on their travels may finally be moving away from C-list celebrities.”

In third position, with 8.6% of responses, was Nepal’s mighty Himalaya. No longer simply the domain of hardened mountaineers or travellers on the hippy trail, the region has become more accessible through increased flights while The Adventure Company has experienced a 60% increase in demand for holidays to the Himalayan Kingdom over the last four years. And with 2011 having been declared the year of tourism Nepal, it seems that the country’s appeal to those new to adventure and seasoned travellers alike will continue to flourish.

Wildlife-rich destinations such as The Galapagos (8.2%), The Amazon (4%) and The Rainforest (3.6%), meanwhile, were left further down the list, in fourth, eighth and tenth place respectively.  

However, perhaps indicating that animals have become as much of a reason to travel as the destination itself, tigers proved triumphant with a quarter of holidaymakers (23.2%) voting the endangered species the animal they would most like to see in their natural environment.  With Tigers teetering on the edge of extinction and the chance of sighting one front of mind for many of those travelling to India, it can only be hoped that continued visitors will help increase awareness of the issues facing this majestic creature.  

Gorillas were next on the animal agenda, with 12.1% of those questioned choosing them as the animal they’d most like to see on a wildlife holiday, followed by the Giant Panda which drew 10.6% of votes.

With a new generation of intrepid TV presenters inspiring would-be explorers of all ages to be more adventurous with their holidays, it seems there’s still a long way to journey before travel stalwart Michael Palin is ousted from the nation’s heart. Over a third of those polled (37.5%) chose Palin as the TV adventurer they’d most like to travel with, leaving Ray Mears (13.5%) and Ranulph Fiennes (12.7%) in his shadow.

And it’s not just adults who are increasingly drawn to exploring further afield, with the results indicating that families are increasingly adding adventure to their ‘holiday homework’. When parents were asked which corners of the world they would most like to take their children on holiday to, India’s combination of wildlife, culture and stunning landscapes ensured it topped the list for a fifth of families (20.9%). East & South Africa came second (17.7%) and Latin America third (14.3%), while Europe was left in sixth place, having attracted just 11.3% of votes.

Wilson added: “TV coverage over the last few years has certainly helped make adventurous escapes and active breaks seem more accessible. While it’s an accepted truth that travel broadens the mind, age shouldn’t be a barrier to travel. It’s therefore especially encouraging to see more and more parents taking advantage of the school holidays to swap deckchairs for backpacks and, supporting this trend, The Adventure Company has seen a 49% growth in family adventure holidays over the last five years.”

To find out more about The Adventure Company’s family holidays call 0845 287 1198 or visit www.adventurecompany.co.uk

-Ends-

11 April 2011

NOTE TO EDITORS:

About The Adventure Company
 Founded in 1996, The Adventure Company operates over 250 small group trips across all continents combining ‘must-see’ highlights with unforgettable cultural experiences.
 Its range allows holidaymakers to enjoy some of the world’s most iconic treks, spot wildlife on safari, get under the skin of local cultures, camp under the stars or try out new activities such as white-water rafting and dog-sledding, From Argentina to Zambia, all trips are led by local guides who provide an invaluable cultural insight.
 While itineraries are tailored to suit all ages, from those new to adventure to seasoned travellers, The Adventure Company is also the leading family adventure specialist with 85 holidays suited to travelling with kids.  Trips vary from multi-activity holidays to exotic animal encounters, with certain holidays offering designated solo parent or teen departures, designed exclusively for families with children aged 12 upwards.

About the Survey
 Poll undertaken of 8044 UK adults in December 2010 in conjunction with Guardian Newspapers.

- Top 10 places people would most like to experience:
1.   Northern Lights   16%
2.   Machu Picchu   15.7%
3.   The Himalaya   8.6%
4.   The Galapagos   8.2%
5.   Taj Mahal      8%
6.   Angkor Wat      6.2%
7.   The Great Wall   4.3%
8.   The Amazon   4%
9.   Petra      3.7%
10.   The Rainforest   3.6%

- Animals holidaymakers would most like to see in their natural environment:
1.   Tiger      23.2%
2.   Gorilla      12.1%
3.   Panda      10.6%
4.   Polar bear      9.3%
5.   Orang-utan      8.6%
6.   Elephant      7.3%
7.   Cheetah      5.4%
8.   Penguin      4%
9.   Turtle      4%
10.   Leopard      3.2%

- TV adventurers people would most like to travel with:
1.   Michael Palin   37.5%
2.   Ray Mears      13.5%
3.   Ranulph Fiennes   12.7%
4.   Bear Grylls      10.1%
5.   Ben Fogle      7.2%
6.   Julia Bradbury   5.7%
7.   Chris Bonnington   3.5%
8.   Charlie Boarman   3.4%
9.   Simon Reeves   2.1%
10.   Benedict Allen   2%

- Regions parents would most like to take their children on holiday to:
1.   India      20.9%
2.   East & South Africa   17.7%
3.   Latin America   14.3%
4.   South East Asia   12.8%
5.   The Himalaya   12.8%
6.   Europe      11.3%
7.   The Middle East   6.1%
8.   North Africa      4.1%