‘Grey gap years’ on the rise

Young travellers are inspiring their parents to take “grey gap year” trips, it was revealed.

As many as 10 per cent of travellers aged over 50 visit countries their children had recommended following their gap year adventures, a Thomas Cook survey showed.

A total of 44 per cent of the over-fifties said they were jealous of the amount of travelling youngsters now do, but 40 per cent intended to make up for it on retirement.

There has also been an explosion of interest in philanthropic volunteering abroad from the over-fifties.