Super holidays for those 30+

On the one hand there are the "super-youths", wealthy thirtysomethings popping away for a snatched weekend in the sun. On the other, " thirdagers", holidaymakers seeking a challenge and excitement in their autumn years.

These are two new categories of tourists identified by travel industry marketing experts in a world where people work harder than ever but are determined not to abandon their lust for adventure as they grow older.

Super-youths have lots of money but limited spare time. They will happily leave work for the airport on Friday for a 48-hour trip. Third-agers are 45 to 60 with no intention of packing slippers when they travel.

Rachel O'Reilly of holiday firm Thomson said: " People in their late twenties and thirties are a powerful group.

Cinema and TV have cashed in on that market with programmes like Friends and Cold Feet specifically geared to them. They are maybe single with no children, have an aspirational lifestyle and high-powered jobs and want 'me time'. They're into gyms, DVDs, gadgets and a designer lifestyle. Travel is an essential part of that. They want to fly on Friday and be back at work on Monday. We have added thousands of short breaks for 2004."

She said a super-youth might typically have a ski holiday and a week in the sun each year - but also four weekend breaks on a beach or in a European city.

Third-agers are more likely to go on longer, active holidays - trekking in the Himalayas, white-water rafting or hot-air ballooning - at an age when their parents might have considered Majorca dangerous.

"The days of people picking up a brochure geared to 'you are an old person' are gone," said Ms O'Reilly. "They want to be more adventurous." And with the number of Britons aged 45 to 54 set to rise 17 per cent by 2011, they are a growing market.