Airports in Italy are trialling new security and boarding technology that will mean passengers do not have to show their documents to get on a flight.
30.04.2024 - 17:43 / forbes.com
Depending on age and leisure time for traveling, when talking about gap years for “older generations” there are two basic types: adult gap years and golden gap years, also known as silver or middle-aged gap years, and gray or boomers gap years.
The adult gap year is mainly associated with people who need a break from high stress due to work burnout or high pressure and looking for ways to take more than a couple of weeks to travel and escape the routine.
The golden gap year refers to 50+, usually retirees and boomers setting off to see the world. Research from different travel-related organizations shows that older generations have a growing interest in serious travel following retirement.
Generally understood as a period of development and self-reflexion via traveling that lasts for 12 months — but can go from three to 24 months — gap years are associated with young people about to enter the realities of adulthood, usually recent high school and college graduates and young people taking a break before either studies or work.
Gap years originated in the U.K. and are now a well-established concept in Scandinavian countries, among others, as a ‘rite of passage’ for teens and people in their early 20s to prepare for ‘the real world’.
But the possibility of putting everything on hold to wander freely around the world, enjoying immersive adventures, sustainable travel, volunteering, working or living like a local for a year is no longer an exclusive privilege of the young. More adults are finding novel ways to get away.
“If you daydream about getting a break from the stress of work, you might picture a restful week of holiday or a long weekend away,” writes Euronews. “But some people are opting for something more ambitious. Dubbed mini-sabbaticals, adult gap years or gap months, these extended breaks range from quitting a job to taking leave to just working remotely from somewhere different.”
The trend is so clear that the gap-year tourism sector now is including “Adult Gap Year” alternatives for people wanting a career break.
“These travellers look for authentic, stimulating travel experiences, often including volunteer work and adventure,” writes the UK’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a research report on the market potential of gap year tourism for Europe.
“People aged 18-25 are more likely to take a gap year than other age groups. Older people are also taking gap years. They may be taking a career break, a sabbatical or an extended long trip.”
“If you daydream about getting a break from stress, you might picture a restful week of vacation or a long weekend away,” the Associated Press reports. “But some people opt for something bigger, finding ways to take longer or more varied time away from the
Airports in Italy are trialling new security and boarding technology that will mean passengers do not have to show their documents to get on a flight.
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