Virtuoso Names Iceland Top Adventure Travel Destination

 

iceland
Photo by RobertHoetink/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

Iceland remains a red-hot travel destination according to a new poll by Virtuoso. A survey of advisors and preferred partners taking part in the Virtuoso Active and Specialty Travel (VAST) program shows 95 percent of respondents forecasting increased demand for adventure travel over the next two to three years, with Iceland leading the way in terms of destinations gaining in popularity. Rounding out the list: 

1. Iceland                                                           
2. Galapagos/Ecuador                                       
3. Costa Rica and Chile/Patagonia (tie)             
4. New Zealand                                                  
5. Peru                                                                
6. Cuba
7. Antarctica
8. Arctic/North Pole
9. South Africa
10. Australia

More relevant stats: the biggest age group for adventure travel is between 50 and 65 (41 percent), with 24 percent between 35 and 50, 21 percent 65 and over and 14 percent under 35. The most common type of adventure traveler is couples, including honeymooners, followed by immediate families, friends traveling together, solo travelers and multigenerational family members.

Why go with adventure travel? Survey respondents pointed to communing with nature, checking experiences off a bucket list, spending quality time together on family and multigenerational trips, and the ability of today's older travelers to be more active due to improved longevity and health as factors driving the category’s popularity. 

The survey, conducted between February and April 2016, canvassed 125 advisors in the VAST program.