Spain, France and Greece are top bucket list countries for Brits in their 40s

SPAIN, France and Greece are all among the top bucket list destinations for Brits in their 40s.

However, top of the list is New Zealand according to a new survey.

A poll of 2,000 adults aged 40 and above revealed travel is not just the domain of the young, with middle-aged Brits still working their way through a wishlist of destinations.

In fact, those polled have only travelled to a quarter of the countries they dream of visiting, with popular backpacking destinations New Zealand, Canada and Australia top of the list.

And the average 40-something still has seven countries to visit on their travel bucket list according to the study.

But three in 10 reckon they are more ‘adventurous’ with their holiday choices now than they ever used to be, with 38 per cent preferring to go off the beaten track when they travel abroad.

And rather than sitting by the pool, a fifth have tried snorkelling on a trip abroad while more than one in 10 have been on a safari.

Aimee White, editor at Rough Guides, which commissioned the research said: “The world is more accessible than ever before, and as a result holidays are something many people can enjoy.

“Many of us have a wishlist of places we want to visit and some even have multiple holidays planned – at least in their heads even if they don’t yet have the funds to book it.

“The great thing about travel is you can get out of it exactly what you like.

“If you want a wild adventure, then go ahead – if you’d rather chill out on holiday, that’s fine too.

“But often our tastes change as we get older, and it’s great to see an appetite for adventure isn’t limited to anyone under the age of 25.”

The study also found nearly half of over 40s go on more holidays now than at any other point of their lives, with six in 10 putting this down to having more money than they did in the past.

And a quarter think it’s easier to get away because their kids are older, while 46 per cent have more time, according to the research carried out via OnePoll.

Another 40 per cent think their lives are simpler now, giving them more freedom to travel the globe.

It also emerged more than one in five adults aged 40 and above have also ‘gone travelling’, taking a month or more off work to visit different countries.

Aimee added: “Travel is no longer the sole preserve of the young or the rich.

“Years ago it was the case that only the rich went on holidays, but with travel being cheaper and modern technology making it easier to research trips, travel is open to more people than ever before, and our research shows that more people are taking advantage of it.

“But as a society, we need to get away from this assumption that only young people want to travel and have adventures while stereotyping older travellers as wanting a particular type of holiday.

“It is important that the travel industry gives older travellers the same opportunities to have adventurous travel experiences as younger people if they want to and not dismiss them as being too ‘old’ or ‘boring’.”

Earlier this year, Sun Online Travel revealed how Route 66 was the most Instagram-worthy road trip in the world according to Brits.