Gap year predictions for 2012

With 2012 now well underway many people will be thinking about booking their gap year.

This year it is expected that there will be a significant increase in the number of people taking gap years compared to in 2011 as people finishing their A levels this summer have already missed their chance to take advantage of lower tuition fees, which caused gap year numbers to drop off last year.

For those heading on a gap year it is not as simple as sticking a pin in a map and jetting off there –at least not if you want to get the most benefit out of your time away.

Key questions to consider include where to go and what to do when you get there to ensure that you are having a truly once in a lifetime experience, so for anyone flummoxed by the wide range of options open to them, here's our guide to gap year in 2012.

Where to go on a gap year

Deciding where to go is one of the biggest tasks for any would-be gappers. Where abouts in the world you travel often determines how long you go for and what activities you can take part in while you are there.

According to Will Jones, marketing manager at Real Gap, the "usual suspects" Thailand and Australasia will remain popular in 2012 as Brits look to sample another way of life.

However, in terms of more unusual destinations, Vietnam is proving increasingly popular. Described by Lonely Planet as the "latest Asian dragon to awake from its slumber", Vietnam offers a mix of bustling cities and peaceful retreats and is seen by many as less commercialised than other Asian destinations.

African destinations such as Ghana and Kenya are also perennially popular. John Lawler, chief of operations at Madventurer.com, said: "We get a lot of inquiries for Ghana and likewise Kenya, so it's still Africa that seems to be [most popular]. About 50 per cent of the people we take away go to Ghana out of our eight or so destinations. Maybe it's just Ghana having the [football] World Cup and doing well, but [it's] always been popular and we have had a surge amongst that age group for those particular trips."

Burma is also tipped as top travel destination for 2012 thanks to the release of the film The Lady, which may see more gap year travellers adding it to their itinerary.

What to do

Once a destination has been selected it's time to think about what to do once you are there.

According to Mr Jones, gap year travellers are still very much focused on using the experience to enhance their CV, rather than simply treating it as an extended holiday.

"With continual intense competition in the graduate job market, many will travel abroad to gain invaluable experience and stand out from other candidates. Many students will also travel during their holiday to enhance their CV, in preparation of interviews," he added.

"There is also likely to be more focus on CV enhancing activities such as vocational work experience trips and paid work abroad."

"Our Experience trips which combine both volunteering and adventure tours in one all encompassing country tour [will be most popular]," Mr Jones continued.

Regardless of what people to on their gap years, the biggest prediction for 2012 is that gap years will remain in high demand.

Tim Fenton, general manager of Gapyear.com, told the Daily Mail that with unemployment high and competition for jobs fierce a gap year can be a real asset to people.

"This year some commentators have been writing off gap years as no longer affordable or relevant, but we’ve found very clearly that this is not the case; the gap year is more alive and more important than ever," he concluded.

There is one aspect of a gap year that does not change and that is the need to research and plan in as much detail as possible. Having decided what you want to do and where you want to go then selecting the gap year organisation that best suits your needs is crucial.  Shop around. 

Talk to all the organisations that operate in the country you’ve chosen and offer the activities that interest you. Pick the brains of their staff as they will often have personal experience of the destinations.  Ask to be put in touch with returned gappers. Many have found the questions in the planning section of Year Out Group’s website to be very useful in helping them to make this key decision.  All this takes time so start your planning early.”