The Top 10 Destinations Capturing the Hearts of New Retirees For 2025

• New booking data from leading tour operator Travelsphere has named the top 10 destinations the newly retired visit first
• The travel experts found that revenge travel is more prevalent than ever within the golden gap years
• Italy holds the top spot as the first travelled destination for those with newfound freedom, but 6 out of the top 10 ranking trips are long-haul

As bookings for 2025, 2026 and beyond increase, new research from specialist tour operator Travelsphere reveals the top 10 destinations retirees are visiting as soon as they gain newfound freedom, with six out of the top 10 first chosen countries being long-haul.

Further, the internal booking data has shown that revenge travel within the golden gap year is prevalent. Read on to discover which destinations are at the top of the golden bucket list, along with the emerging trends from new internal data.

(Image credit: Travelsphere)

The analysed data from Travelsphere experts reveals that Italy is the number one choice for that first special adventure come retirement. A striking 65% of Travelsphere’s total Italian bookings come from those who are newly retired.

Charlotte Field, Marketing Director at Travelsphere, explains that “Italy has a special place in the hearts of many, with everything from the cuisine, Italian way of life and history making it an ideal getaway that isn’t too far from home. It’s well connected with regular flights, and travelling around the country itself is made simple with train travel and internal flights being affordable and effective. We see it as an accessible adventure, but with so much to offer, it’s easy to understand why it has landed in our top spot.”

However, the top three destinations are still dominated by long-haul destinations.

The USA comes in close second, and Charlotte believes that “With newfound freedom from work’s daily routine, this stage of life offers the perfect opportunity to embrace long-haul adventures. It’s no wonder these destinations are shining through in our research.”

The Rise of Revenge Travel Within the Golden Gap Year

(Image credit: Travelsphere)

International travel was only permitted again back in 2022 once restrictions were lifted, and those who had their golden gap years put on hold are making up for lost time. UK residents are spending more than ever on holidays, superseding the average spending values before the pandemic. Travel is one thing Brits are not willing to compromise on.

The new research has shown that the lingering impact of the pandemic has spurred a wave of “revenge travel” in 2024 and beyond, with retirees eager to reclaim lost time. Many are spending more money on travel than ever before, prioritising long-haul enriching experiences and transformative journeys to the big, blowout trips. Charlotte comments: “People want to see more of the world and experience new ways of life after being robbed of this during Covid, and our data has shown a huge rise in the revenge travellers taking trips during their golden gap year.”

Emerging destinations like Uzbekistan are also rising in popularity, with Travelsphere bookings increasing by 20% over the past year.

To find out more, you can read the full study here.