Active pursuits have risen to become a major driver of holidays, particularly among younger generations. Access to water sports, hiking, cycling, fishing, and other activities are increasingly a factor in determining property purchases. Sports and access to hiking or cycling trails are of at least some importance to more than 60% of all owners. These activities are followed by fishing, golfing and adventure sports, with over 40% of owners deeming them to be of importance in a future property purchase.

Many purpose-built resorts targeted at second home buyers incorporate a golf course. Access to golf remains an important feature for homebuyers; 44% of owners said it would be a factor in a future purchase. However, this is on a downward trend. The share of owners citing it as ‘very important’ or ‘important’ is 4% lower than in our 2018 survey.

Some nationalities value golf more than others (see chart). Proximity to a golf course is deemed ‘essential’ or ‘very important’ by 23% of Canadian owners and 21% of American owners. Golf participation in the US has stabilised in recent years, recording its first increase in participation for 14 years in 2018, driven in part by participation from large numbers of retiring ‘baby boomers’.

Which nationalities value active pursuits the most?

Canadians are the most active nationality, valuing golf, water sports and winter sports more than any other national group. They are followed by Americans, nearly a quarter of all these homeowners consider access to fishing an important feature when choosing another property. The Portuguese are also an active national group, with higher than average preferences for adventure sports and tennis.

Brits, by contrast, stand apart as the nationality that places less value on active pursuits in their property purchasing decisions. Just 10% of British property owners cited proximity to them as important, compared to 20% of Canadians and Americans.

_{Read the articles within Report: Second Homes below.}