Retirementmoons: Here’s How To Plan A Vacation To Celebrate Retiring

Traveling as a way to celebrate big moments in your life isn’t a new concept, but one specific vacation trend in this area seems to be on the rise: “Retirementmoons” — a portmanteau of “retirement” and “honeymoon” — are becoming more popular as people look for special ways to commemorate the milestone.

According to a recent survey commissioned by IHG Hotels & Resorts, 40% of retirees have taken, or plan to take, a trip to celebrate retirement. Further, almost 60% plan to travel more during retirement.

Industry experts are taking note. Duncan Greenfield-Turk, CEO of the travel planning agency Global Travel Moments, told HuffPost he recently worked with a woman in her mid-60s who took a “retirementmoon” to Australia and New Zealand with her husband after retiring as a banking executive. “They called this trip the ‘perfect start’ to their retirement together,” Greenfield-Turk explained.

Another one of Greenfield-Turk’s clients, a New York-based financial manager, went on a three-month Europe trip after retiring in his late 60s. Given his lifelong interest in European art and culture, he was thrilled to visit art museums, take culinary classes and engage in other activities there. “This trip was not only a celebration of retirement, but a way to connect with passions he didn’t have time to explore during his career,” Greenfield-Turk said.

Jane Vetter celebrated her retirement with a family trip to Turks and Caicos, and she’s continued to travel since. “Retirement reminds me that life is precious, and I want to travel while my husband and I are healthy and free to do so,” she told HuffPost.

These folks are a few of many: “Retirementmoons have quickly become one of our most popular requests,” said Richard Krieger, director of Sky Vacations.

Ahead, experts break down the rising popularity of retirementmoons and reveal their top tips:

Throughout our lives, people have enjoyed bachelorette trips to sunny islands, honeymoon cruises, graduation week beach vacations, family reunion trips, relaxing babymoons and so much more. Why not extend that joy to something as big as retirement?

“When it comes specifically to retirementmoons, trips are ideal when it’s the first opportunity you’ve had to travel untethered,” said Jeremy Murchland, the president of Seven Corners, Inc., a travel insurance company. “You don’t have to rush back to work or check email from the…