BY Opodo

Nearly 11m British people over the age of 50 plan to embark on trips around the world in the next five to ten years, according to a survey.

Over half (54%) of the people polled by Alliance & Leicester said they had ambitions to travel more regularly to long-haul destinations and more than a fifth (22%) said they had their eyes on a 'once in a lifetime' trip.

One in four (26%) of the over-50s surveyed said they wanted to visit Australia or New Zealand, while 21% said they wanted to explore Europe and 9% showed an interest in a trip to the USA.

Nearly one in ten (8%) respondents said they would like to get to know the UK better, while others said they would like to visit China, Africa, Russia and even the Antarctic.

Much of the older travelling audience appears to have an appetite for adventure, with the research finding that 10% of people over the age of 50 would like to try scuba diving and 9% would enjoy an off-road driving experience.

Emma Walkley of Alliance & Leicester said: 'The desire of the over-50s to see more of the world is clear - this is not an age group that plans to sit back and enjoy a slower pace of life.

'Quite the opposite in fact, with long haul destinations and a thirst for adventure firmly on the agenda.'

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