Family and friends top bucket list over luxury and adventure

21 November 2011

Family and friends top bucket list over luxury and adventure

Annual 'Fidelity Life Kiwi Bucket List' results announced

Friends and family take priority for Kiwis, according to a recent survey which asked New Zealanders what they would most want to do in New Zealand if they only had a year to live.

New Zealand-owned life insurance company Fidelity Life commissioned research company Nielsen to find Kiwis' top bucket list activities within New Zealand.

Spending time with family or friends was top of the list for 51 per cent of Kiwis. A large number of women, people from large households (particularly with young children), and retired people rated this the number one thing they would want to do.

Fidelity Life Chief Executive, Milton Jennings says the company was keen to find out what Kiwis value about their life in New Zealand, especially considering the effects of recent natural disasters and other tragedies.

"Disasters and accidents remind people of their own mortality, and fuel a desire to be closer to loved ones. It's interesting to notice even though Kiwis have a reputation to be adrenalin junkies, we value our families and friends more when it comes to our bucket list."

Lapping it up in luxury and experiencing fine dining in top New Zealand restaurants or vineyards and staying at top New Zealand resorts was first choice for 10 per cent of those surveyed.

The reasonably gentle pursuits of climbing, cycling, tramping and trekking around mountains and tracks came in third on six per cent.

Overall, adrenalin activities such as bungy jumping or sky diving came in fourth with five per cent of Kiwis having this at the top of their bucket list. Interestingly twelve per cent of the 15 - 24 age group had this as their number one choice.

This was closely followed by those who want to go on a camping trip (four per cent) or visit somewhere in New Zealand they have never been (four per cent). For those who would visit somewhere in New Zealand they have never been before, the South Island and Northland, Bay of Islands region were the most popular destinations. Nelson was named as the most popular destination people wanted to re-visit.

Professionals and New Zealanders with high personal incomes are more likely to want to explore the outdoors, and households with children over 16 are keen to hit the slopes. Middle income households are more likely to want to get back to basics and by enjoying camping holidays.

Fidelity Life / Nielsen survey snapshot

Kiwi Bucket List - the top five:

1. Spend time with family or friends (51 per cent)
2. Lap it up in luxury - fine dining in top New Zealand restaurants/vineyards, stay in top New Zealand resorts (10 per cent)
3. Explore the great outdoors - cycle tour, tramp/walk various New Zealand tracks e.g. Milford, Tongariro, Routeburn (six per cent)
4. Adrenalin fix - bungy jump, sky dive, rally/race or stock car experience (five per cent)
5. Get back to basics - camping/campervan holiday (four per cent) and Visit somewhere you've never been in New Zealand (four per cent)

Fidelity Life and Nielsen carried out a similar survey last year, which saw approximately half of Kiwis wanting to see more of New Zealand. Direct comparisons cannot be made to this year's results as last year people were asked one open ended question, not given options to choose from. It's still interesting to note spending time with family and friends came in at number two (18 per cent), followed by climbing/cycle/tramp/trek around various mountains and tracks (nine per cent), travelling the whole country in a campervan with family and friends (eight per cent) and skydiving/parapenting or flying a helicopter or hot air balloon (seven per cent).

Survey methodology:
Nielsen carried out the survey during 4-10 August, with a sample size of 704 people demographically representative of the total New Zealand adult population (aged 15 years old or older). The margin for error was plus or minus 3.7 per cent.

About Fidelity Life
Gordon Watson, a top life adviser, founded Fidelity Life in 1973 with a vision of a New Zealand-owned and controlled company where advisers and staff could "have their say" and provide direct input into the company and its products. It set a precedent in New Zealand by trading solely through advisers at a time when most companies employed tied agents. Thirty-seven years on, Fidelity Life employs 175 staff and remains New Zealand-owned and controlled. Fidelity Life has offices in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Tauranga and offers a full range of life insurance products that includes personal protection, business insurance and investment options.

ENDS

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