Americans are more interested in nude vacations than golf, mountain biking and tennis, a survey released by Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell/Yankelovich Partners as part of its 2007 National Leisure Travel Monitor has revealed. The YPB&R findings conclude that nude recreation has gone “mainstream.”
There’s no doubt that more people are interested in vacationing au naturel — that’s a trend I covered in a recent column. But more popular than golf? Please.
YPB&R is the only marketing firm to do any meaningful, long-term research on leisure travel. But in addition to the polls, it also handles public relations for several travel companies. Among them is the American Association for Nude Recreation, a trade group of nude resorts and clubs that advocates “for nudity in appropriate settings” and informs the public about its value through “ongoing membership growth.”
A conflict of interest? Decide for yourself.
Personally, I think there’s a trend here. The survey results suggest that younger vacationers are more likely to try a nude vacation, particularly the so-called “Echo Boomers” (born after 1979). Some 16 percent of them said they consider a nude vacation to be “very desirable.” Among Gen Xers (‘65 to ‘78) 14 percent dig a vacation in the buff, while only 10 percent of Baby Boomers said they wanted a clothing-optional getaway.
One way or the other, I think we’ll be reading — if not seeing — more about nude vacations in the future.
✓ Get the latest travel news, tips and commentary from Elliott’s E-Mail, the subversive newsletter from industry gadfly Christopher Elliott. You’ll travel like a pro. Sign up here. It’s free.
Sign up for my 
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
As an “echo boomer,” I can attest that nude vacations are becoming quite popular. I just got back from a backpacking excursion where the main attraction was sitting in a remote hot springs without a stitch on.
It was wonderful!