In an online survey conducted by GfK in 17 countries, well over half (59%) of people say they prefer vacations “where I relax and take things at the right pace.” This compares to just over a third (35%) who prefer “active vacations where I do or see a lot of things.” Only 6% are unsure about which type they prefer.
Brazil, South Korea, and Japan lead in the preference for relaxing vacations; Italy, France, and Spain lead in active vacations.
There is practically no difference between men and women in these preferences. Men are potentially a little bit lazier in their vacation choices than women — with 60% of men preferring relaxing vacations, compared to 58% of women. But for active vacations, men and women are tied, with 35% each.
The presence of children in the household seems to make little difference in people’s vacation preferences. For those with children under six years old in the household, or 
those with children aged six to twelve, just under two-thirds (62%) prefer relaxing vacations and just over a third prefer active vacations.
For people with teenagers in the household, relaxing vacations become a little less popular, dropping to 57%, while active vacations rise to 39%.
The biggest differences we see are in relation to age groups. Teenagers are the most inclined to prefer active vacations, with 43% selecting this option and 51% preferring relaxing vacations. The preference for active vacations steadily declines with each age group, ending with those in their fifties and those aged 60 or older, both at just one-third (33%) preferring active vacations.
However, the age group with the highest percentage saying they prefer relaxing vacations is not the two oldest — it is those in their forties, at 64%. Compare this to those aged 60 or older, where 57% say they prefer relaxing vacations.