Article content
3 December 2013 by Alex Stewart
According to research conducted by online comparison site TravelSupermarket, British holidaymakers most want to see the Northern Lights in Norway. The Aurora Borealis tops the bucket list ahead of more traditional holiday destinations with 37% of respondents mentioning it.
Interest in the Northern Lights has increased dramatically over recent years, driven by increased exposure of the phenomenon on the back of strong displays associated with the Solar Maximum, the peak in the sun's cycle that governs the lights.
The survey discovered that more than half of us have a 'bucket list' of places to see before we die; the average age of people compiling these lists has also fallen, so that individuals stand a better chance of ticking some of the experiences off.
The study by TravelSupermarket found that second in the list of desirable travel experiences was visiting the Egyptian Pyramids (35 per cent), with a road trip on Route 66 the third essential experience (33 per cent).
Iconic sites such as the Great Wall of China (32 per cent) and Taj Mahal (28 per cent) appeared at four and eight respectively, whilst a classic African safari was the fifth most popular experience (31 per cent). Diving the Great Barrier Reef in Australia (24 per cent) rounded out the top ten 'must see' list.
Resident expert Bob Atkinson at TravelSupermarket said, 'Ten years ago African safari's and road trips down Route 66 were appealing because they were so far away, but now we're seeing destinations much closer to home, like Norway, become a popular choice because it's something people have decided they must see, instead of choosing longhaul destinations because they're perceived to be once in a lifetime opportunities.'
