These days there seems to be a lot more to retirement than gardening, crocheting or babysitting grandchildren. These golden oldies are all about planning their next trip and jet setting across the country.

In the 2015, TravelGround.com Travel Trends Survey, they discovered senior travellers over the age of 60 are of the most frequent travellers in South Africa.

Many of you may be thinking, who has the financial capabilities to travel two to three times a year in this day and age? Marcel van de Ghinste, joint-CEO of TravelGround says, ‘Senior travellers often have fewer everyday expenses and make use of pensioner discounts for various travel expenses, including accommodation, car hire and even SANParks fees. This makes their money go further and allows them to travel more often.’

While the younger generation may resort to frivolous methods of generating travelling funds to go on their dream holiday, such as delaying marriage or dancing naked in public, our potentially greyer – and possibly wiser – folk are quite happy to miss out on extravagant dinners and do some old fashioned saving.

As far as the survey goes, over 16% of seniors say they do not need to budget for their next trip and pay by cash – this amount is three times more than younger travellers.

‘Based on bookings, we find senior travellers enjoying favourites like Clarens, Knysna, Marloth Park, and the Drakensberg,’ says Marosane Hutchinson, TravelGround’s operations manager.

The average senior traveller’s idea of an ideal holiday would involve relaxing nature-based activities, as well as city-based cultural experiences.

Text: Dailyfix
Image: Fairlady