I’ve been writing about the trend of “educational vacations” for a while now. But according to a new survey, the popularity of taking a “learning” vacation is once again on the rise. TripAdvisor.com recently surveyed more than 2,500 travelers and determined that 32% of them are planning to engage in educational activities while on vacation in 2008. That’s up 7% from last year.
For those of you who are not familiar with the trend, an educational vacation is nothing more than combining a trip to a desired location with an opportunity to learn something new. For example, instead of lounging on a powder soft sandy beach in Mexico you could attend an art class, learn how to sky dive, or cook an authentic Mexican feast.
According to the survey, people who choose educational vacations want to walk away from their weeklong trip with more than the perfect tan and a few souvenirs. They want to perfect their skills in something such as scuba diving or surfing.
Travel experts who designed the TripAdvisor survey say one of the most popular educational vacation destinations is the South of France. It’s apparently the most sought after destinations for art lovers.
Currently, there is a travel package available to Saignon, France that features a number of painting lessons and other art classes. (This trip is not recommended for novice painters.) Lodging, art supplies, ground transportation and food (three meals daily) is covered in the package price. The trip allows you to paint in the footsteps of Van Gogh and Cezanne, but it doesn’t come cheap. The package for one person runs about $3,700 (that not including air fare). However, if you find a friend that doesn’t mind tagging along, the price drops to $2,900 per person.
The Paint Provence package includes lessons with an American artist living in the area. The outdoor painting workshops include morning and afternoon instruction, art history talks, and excursions to art sites. Meanwhile, your non-painting companion can enjoy wine tasting and cooking lessons as part of the vacation.
For more information on this educational vacation package click here.
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