New research has revealed Brits priorities this year, with the results suggesting the nation isn’t ready to settle down just yet. In fact, despite the current cost of living crisis the country is facing, going on holiday topped the list of priorities for 2022 (55%), followed by seeing the world (21%) – confirming just how eager people are to travel and experience new cultures and climates.

Those questioned in the research carried out by CEWE, Europe’s largest photo printing company, were more interested in travel than buying a house (14%), starting a family (8%) and getting married (7%) – with almost a quarter of respondents also confirming they don’t have a five-year plan.

Though gap years are typically taken before or straight after university, the research by CEWE also reveals that in fact twenty-eight is actually the perfect age to travel, with 37% of people confirming they would be willing to spend over £3,000 on their next trip to ensure it ticks the bucket list.

CEWE has carried out the research, which surveyed over 2,000 UK adults, to mark the launch of its latest campaign, which aims to discover the formula for the ultimate ‘trip of a lifetime’, exploring exactly just what elements make the perfect long-haul travel trip.

When looking at factors that impacted the perfect trip, reasonable cost came out on top at 38 percent, highlighting that whilst Brits are looking to travel, they are being savvy with their planning and sticking to set budgets. This was closely followed by accommodation (28%), safety of area (23%) and ease of travel (22%), reaffirming just how much planning Brits put into organising the perfect getaway. In fact, some top tips for pain-free travel included creating a budget tracker (39%), having an itinerary to guide your travels (32%) and learning a little of the language (30%) to leave you more popular with the locals.

And the things that we are willing to splurge on? Accommodation (34%) and amazing food (32%) were high up the list of things that UK travellers are ready to splash the cash for.

The research also uncovered what sets a holiday and a trip of a lifetime apart:

Visiting a location I’ve always wanted to visit (49%)
Seeing a view/ destination I’ve always wanted (45%)
Staying in luxury five-star accommodation (44%)
Travelling first class (37%)
Travelling long-haul (30%)
Doing an unusual activity (29%)

Stacie Twomey, photo expert at CEWE, commented: “It’s fantastic to see so many people wanting to prioritise travel and people planning longer, further afield ‘trips of a lifetime’. This research shows that the cost-of-living challenges haven’t deterred some people from wanting to travel the world. In fact, if Brits are saving, they’re putting their hard-earned money towards travelling and creating memories rather than material items.

“We’re certainly seeing a rise in the adult gap year with older people who couldn’t afford to travel in their late teens or early twenties deciding to pack up and create lasting memories through photos that can be treasured for years to come.”

When it comes to the perfect travel partner for these trips of a lifetime, the research also reveals we’re most likely to travel with a partner (54%) or a close friend (21%) rather than in a group (10%) – With the perfect length for a trip of a lifetime tends to fall between two weeks (29%) and a month (17%).