Gap Years prove more popular than ever

Travel before training
Students put culture before coursework as Gap Years prove more popular than ever

STA Travel is predicting that Gap Year bookings for school leavers will rise by 150% in 2010 as a direct result of young people choosing culture over coursework to boost their CV with a meaningful, life changing travel experience.

This year, applications to UK universities are up by 100,000 and with 6,000 fewer places than last year, analysts fear that up to 200,000 students will miss out - despite having the required grades.*   As a direct result of this, STA Travel has found students are avoiding disappointment and choosing to expand their horizons through experience and adventure instead of education.

STA Travel has taken a detailed look at booking trends to find that it is becoming more common for young people to take a gap year before going to university.   For those leaving school this summer, the intention for most is to travel for 11 months or more, with bookings for this time period up 350%. With thousands of different routes and packages available, options include volunteering, festival following, learning or simply seeing the world.
John Constable, Group Managing Director at STA Travel says: “In the early part of 2010, STA Travel has seen a 50% year on year rise to the gap year section of the website and a significant increase in the number of gap related enquiries in-store.  When planning a gap year there are no right or wrong answers and STA Travel can offer the best advice from experienced staff to ensure students embark on well structured programmes that can truly change their lives for the better.”
Additionally, University admission tutors and employers emphasise time and again that they look favourably on a year out, providing it is organised and well-structured.  It is commonly considered that students who take a year out before university arrive refreshed, focused and better equipped to make the transition from dependence to independence and achieve their full potential.**

The top five routes for Gap Year students are:

Number 1:
Super cheap, £699:  UK - Bangkok - overland Singapore - Darwin - overland Sydney - Auckland - San Francisco - overland New York - UK
 

Number 2:
Includes Africa, £969:  London - Jo'burg - Perth - overland Sydney - Christchurch - overland Auckland - Los Angeles - London
 
Number 3:
Alternative Asia, £1379:  UK - Delhi - overland Kathmandu - Bangkok - overland Phuket - Sydney - Auckland - Papeete - Los Angeles - overland Miami - UK
 
Number 4:
Latin America & Japan, £1399:  London - Lima - overland - Santiago - Auckland - overland Christchurch - Sydney - Tokyo - London
 
Number 5:
Latin America & Oz, £1499:  London - Rio de Janeiro - overland Buenos Aires - Sydney - overland Cairns - Alice Springs - overland Darwin - Perth - Singapore - overland Bangkok - London
 
The top five experiences for Gap Year students are:

Number 1:
The Inca Trail, 7 days, start & finish Cuzco, from £459
Our most popular trip of all time allows you to acclimatise to the altitude before catching sunrise over the ancient site of Machu Picchu following your 4 day hike

Number 2:
Working Holiday in Australia or New Zealand
Working Holiday Visa Australia (1 year) £179; Working Holiday Visa, New Zealand (1 year) £103
The working visas allow you to earn money while experiencing life in a new country
 
Number 3:
Roam India - 22 days, start & finish Delhi, from £749
The ultimate India trip, incorporating culture galore and stunning architecture.
 
Number 4:
Camp Tanzania - 1, 2 or 3 month community projects working in schools or wildlife volunteering, from £1,650
From working in a local school to exploring the big game safari parks, this experience captures the heart of Africa
 
Number 5:
Learn to Dive in Australia - Padi open Water Course in Cairns, 5 days, from £436
Learn to dive in the best spot in the world – the Great Barrier Reef.  And once qualified, an additional 5 fun dives and a night dive will help you hone-up your skills and really explore the underwater world.

For information on flights, tours and deals to all the destinations, visit www.statravel.co.uk or call on 0871 230 0040 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras).
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
*UCAS study communicated 8th February 2010
http://www.ucas.ac.uk/about_us/media_enquiries/media_releases/2010/080210

**Sourced from following
http://www.undergraduate.bham.ac.uk/apply/tips.shtml
About STA Travel
STA Travel is a global travel specialist with 30 years experience advising young people on holidays and adventures abroad.  They offer a unique range of flights, accommodation, tours and expeditions in 90 countries and send over 6 million passengers away each year.  STA Travel has over 400 branches worldwide.  Visit www.statravel.co.uk for details on all product and services.
For press enquiries contact Carly Gibb or Daniela Pinto at STA Travel Press Office, Hill & Knowlton.  Telephone: 0207 413 3147 or email: GSTA@hillandknowlton.com
For more information and bookings please visit www.statravel.co.uk