Who chooses your holiday destination?

New research has shown that more than a quarter of us over 50s do not chose where to go on holiday but give in to the demands of another and two third visit the same destination at least twice.

Millions are ending up in a travel rut, returning to the same accommodation in the same resort every year.

The survey by Royal Caribbean found 62 per cent of couples over 50 have returned to a former holiday venue within the past ten years, with 16 per cent going back to the same place six times or more.

With the amount of money we have to invest in a holiday it is no wonder that we are wary of making any changes and if we know where we are going and what to expect there is less to argue about.

As we get older life seems to be more about compromises that taking chances, but sometimes it is good for us to take a leap into the unknown.

I know couples who have been to the same destinations for 30 years and even after one of them has died the other continues to take the same trip as they feel safe, and of course there are happy memories.

So here are some reasons to make you think about making a change:

Research suggests that individuals who embrace new things and are more curious to learn about the world they live in tend to live longer!
New experiences allow you to share new things, places you have seen and people you have met with others.
Research into how the brain develops suggests the more new experiences we have, the more adaptable and flexible our brains become.
Try to think or write a list of all the potential positives that might result from a new holiday choice
Think of a change of holiday as a challenge. Try and remember the feeling of actually completing a new challenge – remember the feeling you had after passing your driving test, making something or learning something new. The feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment is a powerfully positive force in maintaining our emotional wellbeing.

If you are going on holiday with others or as a family it is important to discuss what you all want from the trip :

Do not try and achieve too much for everyone and so end up with a huge wish list but keep it simple. Ask each person going on the holiday what their top two things are that they would like to experience on this trip. Then try and give one thing that you want to avoid.

As a family you decide on what are the crucial factors to consider for this holiday – so for example, it might be: destination (home or abroad), place (beach, city, rural) accommodation type (hotel, villa, camping) and activity (relaxation, exploration, mix of both).

There is nothing wrong in going to the same place every year but there could be new adventures and experiences out there. You won’t know until you try it and if it all goes wrong you know you’ll laugh about one day!

Did you know you can now buy your travel insurance from Mature Times?