As we near the end of the year many students are getting set to pick up their backpacks and see all that the world has to offer – but which destinations are they flocking to this year?
New data from Alpha Travel Insurance has revealed the top gap year destinations according to Instagram by analysing 10,000 hashtags to find out which destinations are the most popular.
And the results were somewhat surprising. New York has taken out the top spot, more than doubling the second most visited with a whopping 818 photos out of 10,000 with the hashtag #gapyear.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BogEKHwn0lU/?tagged=newyork
Coming in second was Sydney, Australia with 300 photos, because who can resist us, honestly?
Coming in third is Aussie favorite Bali, for its stunning beaches, sunsets and relaxed atmosphere.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bof_YiQH4rU/?hl=en&tagged=bali
If you are struggling to choose a country to spend your gap year in or want to go to more than one place, Europe may be the place to head, as it’s the continent with the highest number of the hashtag #gapyear on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BogIe2fHtOI/?hl=en&tagged=rome
Four out of the top 10 gap year destinations are European, including Rome, Italy, Paris, France, London, United Kingdom and Venice, Italy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bof-Y3EBelF/?hl=en&tagged=paris
With most of these countries being no more than a 2-3 hour flight away from each other, this might be the place for you on your gap year.
Check out the full list here.
