Follow for more talkers

These are the top vacation wish list experiences for 2023

Visiting Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt, experiencing the Midnight Sun and witnessing Iceland’s Geyser are also popular.

Avatar photo

Published

on
(Photo by Vincent Guth via Unsplash)

By Gemma Francis, 72Point via SWNS

The top vacation wish list experiences for 2023 are seeing the Northern Lights, traveling on the Orient Express, and exploring the Norwegian Fjords.

A study of 2,000 travelers found staying in an over-water bungalow in the Maldives, safari in Africa and driving Route 66 in America also made the top 40 list – with "off the beaten track" experiences more desirable than tourist hotspots.

Visiting Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt, experiencing the Midnight Sun and witnessing Iceland’s Geyser are also popular.

Martin Lister, head of itinerary planning and destination experience at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines which commissioned the research, said: “For many of us, holidays and travelling the world are one of life’s highlights.

“There are so many things that we want to see, do and explore, as shown in the wish lists shared with us and these play a huge part in us deciding where we go when booking a holiday.”

The study also found 65 percent of adults want to see as much of the world as they possibly can, but just 15 percent think they will manage to tick everything off their wish list due to cost, time or simply the amount they wish to see.

via GIPHY

Each year, the average adult spends £2,111 ($2,569) on trips, with somewhere off the beaten track the most likely choice for 38 percent, compared to just 17 percent who would choose a popular tourist resort.

Good weather is the most important ingredient for a dream vacation for half of those polled, via OnePoll, followed by experiencing the culture, nature and history of a country (39 percent) and going somewhere you’ve not been before (29 percent).

Others look for authentic experiences (19 percent), seeing local wildlife (18 percent) and all-inclusive food and drink (17 percent).

As a result, the weather is the biggest factor when deciding where to go for 52 percent, while 42 percent base their decision on the landmarks or sights to see.

The travel time (39 percent), food (35 percent) and culture (30 percent) are also important considerations.

While 47 percent dislike going to the same destinations time and time again – because they have so much they want to see.

Martin Lister, from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, added: “A cruise can be a fantastic way to experience the world, arriving in a new port, spending a day exploring and waking up somewhere different where new opportunities await.”

TOP 40 TRAVEL WISH LIST EXPERIENCES:

  1. Seeing the Northern Lights
  2. Traveling on the Orient Express
  3. Exploring the Norwegian Fjords        
  4. Staying in an over-water bungalow in the Maldives       
  5. Safari in Africa
  6. Driving Route 66
  7. Walking along the Great Wall of China        
  8. Seeing Mount Fuji in Japan        
  9. Whale watching
  10. Seeing the Statue of Liberty, in New York
  11. Swimming in the Blue Lagoon, in Iceland        
  12. Seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, in San Francisco
  13. Greek Island hopping
  14. Visiting the tomb of Tutankhamun, in Egypt        
  15. Paying your respects at Auschwitz
  16. Seeing Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii        
  17. Swimming with dolphins        
  18. Experiencing the Midnight Sun in the Arctic
  19. Seeing the Geyser, in Iceland        
  20. Seeing Giant’s Causeway, in Northern Ireland        
  21. Climbing Machu Picchu        
  22. Seeing the Sydney Opera House
  23. Visiting the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
  24. Seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa        
  25. Visiting tulip gardens in Amsterdam
  26. Floating in the Dead Sea
  27. Seeing icebergs in Greenland
  28. Going to a casino in Las Vegas        
  29. The carnival in Rio de Janeiro        
  30. Seeing Father Christmas in Lapland
  31. Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef
  32. Bathing elephants in Thailand        
  33. Seeing the puffins on Lundy Island
  34. Seeing Ayers Rock/Uluru
  35. Disneyworld in Florida
  36. Visiting Easter Island
  37. Seeing Christ the Redeemer in Brazil
  38. Driving the Pacific Coast Highway        
  39. Going to the top of the Eiffel Tower
  40. Seeing The Little Mermaid statue, in Copenhagen

Stories and infographics by ‘Talker Research’ are available to download & ready to use. Stories and videos by ‘Talker News’ are managed by SWNS. To license content for editorial or commercial use and to see the full scope of SWNS content, please email [email protected] or submit an inquiry via our contact form.

Top Talkers