WALKING, CYCLING & DIVING

Walking The most accessible form of active travel – and the perfect antidote to the hours we spend in front of computer screens – walking holidays have become increasingly popular over the last 20 years. According to Sport England, walking is the largest family participation sport, with Scotland the most popular destination.

Cycling Our passion for freewheeling ignited after Team GB won 12 cycling medals at the 2012 Olympics. While cycling holidays were once the domain of lycra-clad fitness junkies, they are now appealing to a broader market as people look to explore the world, partaking in active experiences as they do so. Cycling tour specialists Saddle Skeddadle launched its family trips in 2013 and reported that its sales tripled in the first year.

Diving ‘Divers have become increasingly aware of threats to the ocean such as overfishing and shark-finning and are now choosing companies that are actively involved in conservation,’ says Graeme Gourley of Dive Magazine. Boutique hotels in exotic locales that specialise in diving and high-end liveaboards, such as Costa Rica’s Undersea Hunters, have boomed as long-haul travel has become cheaper.