"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do" - Mark Twain

On the eve of A-level results day, Contiki Holidays, the leaders in worldwide holidays, are reminding youngsters that didn't get the grades they needed for their university places not to panic, and to seize the opportunity to take a gap year - now.

As the world's leading group travel company for 18-35s, taking 100,000 young people to over 40 countries every year, Contiki (www.contiki.com) knows the importance of travel. But just to check, Contiki surveyed over 2,000 people on their attitudes to travel and also asked leading graduate recruitment company Milkround for their view.

Contiki found that 75% of people surveyed aged 35 or over wish they'd travelled more when they were younger, before the responsibilities of families, mortgages and jobs take hold, while 65% would tell their younger selves to make the most of all the opportunities presented to them. The survey also found that while Australasia, Latin America and South East Asia were amongst the top five desired destinations, less than 14% of people had actually made their way there.

Respondents that had travelled abroad also felt that travel provided them with different perspectives on life: 50% said that travel made them more aware of the wider world, 29% said it had given them more confidence and 23% said it had made them more tolerant of others - all attributes that many employers would consider valuable.

The survey also investigated the impact travel had specifically on eventual career choices and opportunities, with 39% of respondents aged between 18 and 34 saying that travel had impacted their work opportunities in some way:  giving them more confidence at work, enhancing their CV, prompting them to work in a different country, changing career or leading them to retrain: so you never know where an adventure overseas might lead.

Abbie Baisden of Milkround, who have been voted the most popular graduate recruitment site in the High Fliers UK Graduate Careers Survey for the last six years, says:

"We find that employers look very favourably on gap years as a sign of independent thinking, self-motivation and ambition. With so many job-seekers competing for fewer roles, employers can be pickier than ever before, so having something interesting on your CV, such as experiences in far flung places, is a great way to get in the door. Not only does travel give you a taste of the wider world, it's also a great subject of discussion for interviews, and will help potential employers remember you as a passionate, interesting person. So instead of viewing travel as a self-indulgent activity, look at it as character building and even career enhancing. Having travel on your CV can be as valuable as those A grades."

Matt Fletcher, Sales and Marketing Director for Contiki Holidays, said:

"Many young people find this time of year quite uncertain: maybe they didn't quite get the grades they needed to secure a place at university, or they've decided to defer for a year.  For those people, this year presents the perfect opportunity to travel before starting at university and before the responsibilities of the career ladder really kick in. Travel broadens the mind, deepens understanding of different cultures, and opens the eyes to different ways of doing things, which are all values that employers consider important.

"At Contiki, our motto is No Regrets; no one wants to regret the chance not taken, to sit on the side-lines experiencing the world through our friends' status updates. So those that have the next 12 months with no fixed plans should consider the option to travel - they could find themselves learning to be a cowboy or cowgirl on a ranch in the US, learning to cook Thai cuisine in Koh Pha Ngan, watching the sunrise over Machu Picchu, learning to scuba dive in Australia or learning about the wildlife and precious ecosystems in the Galapagos islands."

As expected, the research found that for 77% of those asked, lack of money was the biggest barrier to travel. However, with Contiki's part payment schemes, this aspect doesn't have to be quite so daunting, with clients able to top up their travel fund online as and when they can afford it, with their family and friends able to contribute to this fund as well.

And to help people on their way, Contiki is running a competition to win £1,000 off their gap year holiday with Contiki this year. Contiki's 'Life Starts Now' competition is running from 14 August until 20 September - for more information and to enter, visit: www.contiki.com/lifestartsnow  

Example trips with Contiki include:

Contiki's Vietnam Experience: 12 days from £805 per person

With golden temples, jade green waters, yellow rice paddy fields and coloured silks, Vietnam is an explosion of colour. See coconut palms, sugar plantations and the locals in their conical hats in the Mekong. Cruise the river delta, visit
floating markets, get on two wheels as you cycle through Hoi An, soak up some rays on the beach in Nha Trang and cruise Halong Bay on a traditional junk boat. This is truly a country where East meets West and this tour is the ultimate way to experience it.

Contiki's Ecuador and Galapagos Island Hopper: 11 days from £1922 per person

From the heights of the volcanoes to the unexplored waters of Galapagos, this tour is a must for the lovers of the great outdoors. Whether you are snorkelling with Sea Lions & Rays, or chilling with the Giant Galapagos Tortoise, this adventure is epic!

For more information about Contiki, please visit us at www.contiki.com and don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook

For more information about Milkround, please visit www.milkround.com.

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About Contiki Holidays:

Contiki Holidays has inspired students and young professionals, 18 - 35 year olds to travel to the world's most fantastic destinations for 50 years. The trips are hassle-free and include the perfect mix of sightseeing, culture and free time. Choose from over 190 itineraries throughout Europe, Russia, Egypt, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Mexico, Canada & the USA. For more information, visit www.contiki.com

Survey of over 2,000 people conducted by Opinion Matters and commissioned by Contiki Holidays

Liz McNulty - liz.mcnulty@travcorpuk.com