2024 is just around the corner, and many of us are starting plan our new years resolutions, and what we want to achieve next year. Travel usually finds itself at the top of that list as we dream about the destinations, we’d like to visit over the next 12 months.
With this in mind, experts of SkyParkSecure have conducted a survey across the UK to reveal their top bucket list experiences and destination, how many are planning to tick one of these off in 2024, and how COVID changed their perspective on travel.
Over 60% of Brits would rather go on a bucket list trip than their usual holiday in 2024
It seems like most Brits would rather tick something off their bucket list in 2024 over their usual beach or city break, with 36% of Brits revealing that they’ve already booked what they would consider a ‘bucket list’ trip for 2024, with a further 35% considering it.
Women seem keener than men to tick something off their bucket list this year, with 40% of women already making bookings compared to 31% of men. On a similar note, the younger generations are prioritising their bucket lists more. With 65% of 24–34-year-olds already booking a trip, with 47% of 18–25-year-olds considering it.
Seeing the Northern Lights is the biggest bucket list wish for 2024
Of the people surveyed, 29% said that seeing the northern lights was on their bucket list for 2024. Iceland, Northern Norway, Swedish and Finish Lapland are all popular spots to see the lights, that are most likely to be spotted during the longer evenings between October and April.
However, it could be easier to tick off than you people think – with some places in Scotland, North England, North Wales and Northern Ireland being great spots to spot the phenomenon.
Other popular bucket list destinations and activities included seeing the pyramids and Niagara Falls (17%) alongside a husky sled ride (15%) and going on a safari (14%).
| Whether you have booked a bucket list trip for next year or not, which of the following bucket list activities would you love to do in 2024? (Tick all that apply) | % Who Said |
| Seeing the Northern Lights | 29% |
| Seeing the pyramids | 17% |
| Visit Niagara Falls | 17% |
| Go on a husky sled ride | 15% |
| Go on a Safari | 14% |
| See an emperor penguin colony | 13% |
| Walk along the Great Wall of China | 13% |
| Ride the Rocky Mountaineer train | 13% |
| See the Great Barrier Reef | 13% |
| Spot the big five in a national park | 12% |
| Drive Route 66 | 11% |
| Go to Disneyland | 11% |
| See the Vatican | 11% |
| Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower | 10% |
| See a space rocket launch | 10% |
| Visit each continent in the world | 10% |
| Go to a Super Bowl | 10% |
| Swim with dolphins | 9% |
| Visit the Terracotta Warriors | 9% |
| Hike the Inca trail to Machu Picchu | 9% |
The survey gave respondents the option of over 50 well-known bucket list activities, events and destinations – but Brits have plenty more options too, with other answers from respondents including visiting locations such as Japan, Australia and Barbados, alongside activities such as doing a shark dive, water skiing and watching an F1 race in person.
Belfast is the UK city prioritising bucket list travel the most
58% of Belfast-based respondents said that they had booked a bucket list trip for 2024, with Bristol following closely behind (54%). Belfast’s top bucket list trip was going on a Huskey-led ski ride, they were the also the only UK city to have an answer other than seeing the northern lights.
COVID changed the way we feel about bucket list travel
COVID is hopefully behind us now, however, the travel industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic but has thankfully had a great rebound. The pandemic seemingly left a lasting impression and changed the way a lot of us thought about travelling, with almost half of Brits (49%) claiming they have felt more passionate about ticking off their bucket list in the last few years, than they did before the pandemic.
