Discover your perfect holiday duration

Some 7 million over 50s holiday abroad each year and Saga Travel Insurance has noted a growing number of people take multiple foreign holidays each year. Saga Travel Insurance today launches a new online calculator, based on a formula that analyses holiday preferences and calculates an individual's ideal holiday duration. To find your own perfect holiday formula, visit the calculator at saga.co.uk.

Saga research showed the need to take several factors into account when deciding how long to stay away. These include the type of vacation being taken, whether you opt for a city break, a sun, sea and sand holiday or a cruise for example, whether you are going alone or with family or friends, how quickly you become bored, and how important it is for you to stay in touch by phone.

Deciding how long to go on holiday for is an important decision and is often overlooked. We all have different holiday boredom thresholds. Over a quarter of Brits (26%) feel bored at some point during their holiday and one in ten (10%) say they feel bored after the first week away. Almost one in ten (8%) worry within a couple of days about what may be happening at home or work. It appears that older is indeed wiser as very few of the over 50s report feeling bored on holiday, but many younger holidaymakers tire quickly of their new surroundings. The under 50s spend approximately £250 million being bored abroad!

The research also revealed that deciding who to go on holiday with can sometimes be tricky, but overwhelmingly Brits would prefer to go on a romantic holiday with a partner (41%). Interestingly, an unfaithful 3% of the population would rather go on a passionate break with someone other than their partner.

Choosing where to go can be confusing, given the choice of holiday destinations available. The research found that over a third of over 50s (34%) prefer to use their holiday time to explore places of interest, compared to only a fifth (20%) of under 50s. You're not alone if you crave a holiday lounging by the beach or pool. Over a third (37%) of under 50s and over a quarter (26%) of the over 50s population is happiest when basking in the sun, with the most popular destinations being Spain, France and Italy.

Andrew Goodsell, Chief Executive, Saga Group, commented: "Holidays should offer a much needed escape from daily stresses and strains and choosing the right destination for the optimum length of time is the first step to getting the most enjoyment from your holiday. Whether you enjoy a short weekend break in the UK or a fortnight's holiday somewhere exotic, don't forget to take out travel insurance to remove the stress should an unforeseen event happen while you are away."

For more information on Saga Travel Insurance, visit saga.co.uk/travelinsurance