That’s Not My Age

Photo: Tom Rits for Unsplash

The point of going on holiday is to take a break from everyday life, to rest, relax and, of course, return refreshed, but if your destination is overcrowded and too noisy you’ll struggle to switch off. Silence has been hailed as the modern luxury, although I’m not suggesting a total retreat from the world. The World Health Organization has issued guidelines on noise around us. We get more sensitive to sound as we get older, so background noise and other people’s racket has more impact. And as daily life is increasingly noisy, quiet travel has become a trend, with travellers seeking out less busy locations.

In younger years, any trip was a treat, but as we get older, we have (hopefully) seen a bit more of the world so we’ve got a lot more travel experience to compare each new trip with. And as we don’t have unlimited time to travel the world – both in terms of time off, and life span! – going away has to be good, although I haven’t quite hung up my flight socks yet. I was shocked a couple of years ago when a friend said she’d accepted that she’d probably never make it to China.

And, of course, our tastes may have changed. Those of us who were party animals may now be more akin to a cat curled up on the sofa. Although I have friends of my age who go clubbing in Ibiza, when they’re there they go ‘out out’ for a couple of nights, and spend the rest of the time relaxing on the beach and sightseeing. For most of us, taking it easy is a holiday must-have, and we’d prefer to lie on the beach, sip an aperitif or even just walk along the street without a banging soundtrack or having to squeeze through crowds.

Photo: Cathleen Cintra Fagundes for Pexels

The problem of over-tourism

Too many people visiting a destination has an impact. Although tourism does generate money for the local economy, it also generates more litter and pollution. It also prices locals out of the property market, because it’s more lucrative to do short-term holiday rentals than to let it long-term to a local resident.

There have been protests and interventions against the burden of overtourism in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, among many other places. Towns in Britain, such as Whitby and St Ives are affected too, with busy roads in summer, streets empty in winter, and useful shops like ironmongers and greengrocers replaced by knick-knackery emporiums targeting tourists.

Overtourism also makes everywhere feel the same, and don’t we leave home to experience something different?

Earlier this year, I ended up in Koh Samui in Thailand, an island I last visited 25 years ago and, frankly, I was shocked at the amount of rubbish that the infrastructure is struggling to cope with. Koh Samui is overdeveloped, with flights landing every day. I was also shocked to see an Irish pub and a branch of Uniqlo.

You can improve your own holiday experience and those of people who live in holiday hotspots by going somewhere else, or at least avoiding peak times.

Where to go 

There’s lots of ‘if you like here, you’ll love there’ advice online, with examples of less-visited alternatives, and according to the British Airways Holidays/YouGov travel trends survey, 87% of those planning a holiday this year or next said they’d consider going to one.

Basically, avoid the obvious, well-known places, whether that’s Mediterranean beaches, European cities, or exotic islands, and look into somewhere that offers you the setting and activities you crave, whether it’s hammock time, mountain views, coastal hikes, birdwatching, watersports, designer shopping or whatever, but without the hustle and bustle and, crucially, with its own authentic flavour.

Consider your accommodation, too. A multi-storey hotel in a beach resort or city-centre apartment is likely to be more chaotic than a small hotel in a small town or a self-catering property in the countryside.

Photo: Jean-Daniel Francoeur for Pexels

When to go

One of the priciest times to travel is, obviously, school holidays so if you’re not tied by that timetable, check your local authority website to find dates to avoid (Click here to find yours). Also avoid half-term and Easter holidays and if you’re heading to a university town, graduation and September can be busy for hotels. Last year, a report from Saga, specialists in over-50s travel, showed that September, May and June were the most popular months for holidays for that age group.

Bank holidays, especially Christmas and New Year, see another price peak, and avoid the traditional ‘long weekend’, and go midweek instead. Tuesday is usually the cheapest day to fly.

Be aware of local national holidays, celebrations and observations too, like Lunar New Year (29 January 2025) and Ramadan (28 February to 30 March – changes every year), which may affect transport and opening hours. And steer clear of massive events such as the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

So head for a quieter option next holiday – it’s better for you, the people who live there, and the planet.

And tell us about your holiday plans, below.

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