With hundreds of thousands of British students having just opened their A-Level results, many will be looking forward to starting their university lives in the autumn, while thousands of others will be looking forward to the adventure of a gap year.

Tens of thousands of school and college leavers will be deferring their university places and many of these will be taking a gap year trip before starting their courses in 2016.

ABTA is revealing the most popular destinations and activities for gappers as well as advising young people about how to have a rewarding experience and how to stay safe.

Top gap year destinations

Some ABTA Members specialising in gap year travel have reported increases more than 10% in bookings over the last twelve months with Australasia, South East Asia, the USA and South America being the most popular destination choices.

There have been some winners and losers over the last twelve months with Australia retaining its number one spot but New Zealand has taken over from Thailand at number two and Vietnam has increased in popularity from eighth to fifth on the list.

The top gap year destinations reported by ABTA Members specialising in gap years are:

1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. USA
4. Peru
5. Vietnam
6. Thailand
7. Canada
8. Brazi
9. Argentina
10. India

Gaining work experience and funds rather than just having an extended holiday

Although a gap year still represents an opportunity to relax and enjoy themselves, increasing numbers of gappers are looking to gap year specialists to provide them with opportunities to gain work experience as well as using this as an opportunity to fund and extend their trips.

Most popular gap year activities

The most popular type of gap year requested by school and college leavers for 2015/6 are work experience placements abroad including internships. Following these are volunteering trips, with many students choosing to work with local communities in developing countries. Examples offered by ABTA Members include football coaching in South Africa, Panda conservation in China and teaching English in Ecuador. Booking through a reputable company is particularly important for volunteering trips as is doing your research thoroughly and committing to a project that properly benefits the host country and suits both the strengths and weaknesses of the volunteer.

Looking for adventure

Adventure gap years are also proving popular, with gappers looking to take part in activities such as overland tours, trekking, mountain biking and white water rafting. The more traditional round-the-world backpacking gap year still remains popular with gappers also looking for cultural options.

Nikki White, Head of Destinations and Sustainability, ABTA said: “Thousands of young people will be heading off on a gap year which for many will be one of the most memorable and rewarding twelve months of their lives. However, foreign travel can offer a range of challenges and it is important that gap year students prepare carefully if they are to travel safely and also get the most out of their experience overseas. In addition, many gap year students may pay out large sums of money to specialist companies and it is important that they do their research to ensure that their money is well spent and placed with a reputable company.”

ABTA’s Top Tips for Gappers

• Check with your travel company and with the Foreign Office for “dos and don’ts”and “no go” areas for the country you’re visiting.  They will also tell you about visa requirements and how to get relevant visas, which is especially important if you’re going to be working.
• Choose a reputable gap year travel company with a good track record that is a member of a trade association, such as ABTA, so you have a point of contact and support should anything go wrong.
• Get a good quality travel insurance policy and make sure it covers the activities you want to take part in. The cheapest policies will not necessarily provide you with the level of cover needed for a lengthy stay overseas, or for extreme sports.
• Research local customs and culture before you go to understand more about the host destination and avoid unwittingly causing offence.
• Make sure you’ve had all the necessary jabs and inoculations; do this at least eight weeks before you travel.
• If you’re going to a country where malaria is prevalent always take anti-malarial medication and always finish the course.
• Think carefully about the kind of activity you’ll be doing. Working, volunteering or learning a skill overseas will be enriching as well as challenging. It will most certainly be good for your personal and professional development.
• If you’re travelling to a non-English speaking country take some basic language lessons before you go and take a phrase book and pocket dictionary in the local language, you’ll find it much easier to fit in when you first arrive. If you’re going to rely on a mobile device for translation, check the costs involved.
• Tell your bank where and when you’ll be travelling to reduce the risk of them stopping your card.
• Keep electronic copies of all your important travel documents and leave a copy with someone at home.
• Keep a list of emergency contact numbers in a safe and accessible place.

For more information visit www.abta.com/gapyear