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Spike in gap year interest amid Brexit uncertainty

More young people are opting to take gap year travel in the face of Brexit uncertainty and hikes in tuition fees.

The claim comes from student travel booking site StudentUniverse.

The company has seen a 29% year-on-year rise in travel searches following a recent UCAS announcement that applications to UK universities fell by 5% to a total of 469,490.

The most popular destinations being searched for include Thailand, up 82%, and Australia, up 53%.

Searches to Bangkok have doubled while those to Sydney are up by 50%.

The number of young people researching for twin-centre trips to Bangkok and Sydney has risen by 200% year-on-year.

The company’s head of marketing Dan Baker said: “We know travel is essential to a modern education.

“Given the recent increase in tuition fees and the uncertainty around the UK’s exit from the EU, it’s not a surprise to see more and more young people opting for the ‘life education’ of a gap year rather than traditional academic studies.”

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