South Africa is the current
gap year travel favourite among tourists, new research has shown.
Following closely in second is Canada, followed by Kenya in third and Peru in fourth, according to a report by the Year Out Group.
The figures are an indication that gap year travelers are increasingly seeking to explore more obscure destinations, with the UK dropping out of the top 12 destinations this year.
Previous research by the firm in May indicated that the majority of backpackers are young travelers aged between 18 and 24-years-old, representing 76 per cent of all gappers.
Richard Oliver, chief executive of the not-for-profit Year Out Group, notes that doing volunteer work remains one of the main activities among gap year travelers.
Commenting on the latest top-12 destinations list, a group spokesperson told the Press Association: "The UK is no longer placed inside the top 12, as adventurous gappers venture increasingly further a field."
South African tourism officials are also keen to encourage more people to visit the country, having recently launched a new tourism cinema commercial in several foreign countries including Germany, the US and the UK.
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