Thailand 'most popular' for gap years Other favourites were Peru, popular with those hoping to tackle the Inca Trail; Vietnam, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Ha Long Bay, Hoi An and Mỹ Son; and Brazil, famous for beaches, jungle treks, and sprawling cities. India, New Zealand, and Fiji completed the top ten. Victoria Bacon, head of communications at Abta, said: "Gap years have become even more popular among British teenagers since the rise in tuition fees in 2012 and increased competition for graduate jobs, with many students now looking to travel experiences to help make their gap year stand out on the CV. "There is now an incredible choice of activities and destinations to support young travellers in developing and learning new skills," she added. It's very important that if you're planning a gap year, you research your options thoroughly: talk to a travel professional, who will be able to offer you advice about destinations and experiences; check travel advice with Abta and the Foreign Office and always book with a reputable company. To help those students considering a year out, Telegraph Travel has compiled its annual Gap 100, featuring our pick of the most trustworthy gap year travel companies and websites. We've also published a list of ten essential questions to ask when organising your trip, and several case studies from recently returned gap year travellers (see below). Telegraph Travel's gap year coverage The gap year 100 Browse our annual directory of the best gap year travel companies, whether you're looking to learn a skill or language, volunteer, work, or simply embark on a great adventure. Essential questions What questions should someone planning a gap year ask before committing to a project? How voluntourism changed my life Wycliffe Sande, born into poverty in Uganda and orphaned at 13, explains how a volunteering project transformed his fortunes. Gap year case study: learning a language Felix Legge relives his experiences of learning Russian in Moscow. Gap year case study: on the anti-poaching patrol William Oborne describes working with rangers in Zimbabwe as part of a programme to protect rhinos from poachers. Gap year case study: a sponsored career break Alex Ball talks about taking a sponsored career break that saw him visiting various companies while travelling around America. Gap year case study: training to be a ski instructor Jenny Beard discusses her time training to be a ski instructor in the French Alps, and teaching skiing in Japan. Gap year case study: volunteering in Uganda Oli Denton describes his time volunteering and playing rugby in Uganda for the Lessons for Life Foundation.