More over 50s travel solo
Australia’s Baby Boomers are the generation most comfortable travelling alone, according to new research released at the launch of NRMA’s newest lifestyle service Living Well Navigator.
The inaugural Living Well Navigator survey found nearly three quarters (72 per cent) of Baby Boomers in New South Wales were comfortable holidaying on their own, compared to just 59 per cent of Generation X. Over the last three years 34 per cent of people over 50 years had holidayed alone, while just 27 per cent of Generation X travellers had done the same.
Just over one-quarter (26 per cent) of over 50s were planning a solo adventure in the next 12 months, compared to 22 per cent of Generations X and Y.
The NRMA released the results of its inaugural Living Well Navigator survey to coincide with the launch of its Living Well Navigator website for Australians older Australians – www.livingwellnavigator.com.au.
The Living Well Navigator is an online resource and social community that features a variety of information on holidays and travel, specialising in solo travel and offering discount deals to both Australian and international destinations.
Living Well Navigator ambassador Dawn Fraser welcomed the launch of Living Well Navigator, saying it would be a very useful resource for older Australians looking to travel alone. “I’m no stranger to travelling alone, in fact I have seen most of this great country of ours by caravan,” Ms Fraser said. “There is definitely a trend towards older Australians travelling alone – whether it’s within Australia or overseas and Living Well Navigator is a resource they can use to find information.
“Living Well Navigator has a whole section called the Solo Travellers Club, aimed at those who are planning on a solo adventure, but would like to meet up with a group of people along the way and avoids common single travel supplement fees.
“The NRMA is a trusted travel brand that many Australians turn to before embarking on a trip, and the information on LWN will be of great assistance in particular to people over 50 looking to travel alone.”
Living Well Navigator ambassador Deborah Hutton said NRMA’s Living Well Navigator offered a really important resource for people where they can learn, grow and feel connected.
“It’s about bettering your experience in your ‘third age’. Having a dedicated tool for health and well-being, travel, work and volunteering or simply getting around, is invaluable,” Ms Hutton said. “We should be focused on living an even more vibrant, healthy and active live as we get older.”
NRMA president Kyle Loades said with Australia’s ageing population, the nation needed to do a better job of providing support services to empower the older Australians. “Sixty per cent of NRMA’s 2.4 million members are over 50 and they have consistently told us that online support services around travel, transport, work and volunteering and assisted living are either sporadic or difficult to find – that’s why the NRMA has launched Living Well Navigator,” Mr Loades said.
“Working with a raft of partners across these sectors the NRMA has brought all these services under the one portal – it’s about making it easier for Australians over 50 to find the services they need most.”
