Liverpudlians have more sex on holiday, Londoners most dislike body odour, holidaymakers from Sheffield buy the most new clothes for their holidays, child-free couples fret over litter and Brummies abstain from drinking alcohol.
These are some of the regional variations in the behaviour of Brits abroad, uncovered in the latest research from leading travel experts, Kuoni.
Kuoni Holiday Report 2011, is part of the company’s strategy of getting closer to its customers by understanding them better. The report looks at behaviour before, during and after a holiday, including eating and spending preferences, manners, etiquette, holiday romance and sexual habits.
Despite the regional variations highlighted throughout the report, what unifies the research is how different British holidaymakers behave when on holiday. Escaping from their every day routines, the Brits discard their regular persona and… eat less healthily, exercise less, drink more, dress more provocatively, expect more sex and in more adventurous places, soak up beautiful places and spend more money.
In short, Brits lose their inhibitions on holiday, whether aged 25 or 65. Over half do things out of character – such as drink more alcohol - and feel liberated by the fact that no-one knows who they are. Read on for the highlights of the report.
Christine Webber, psychotherapist and health writer and broadcaster, says:
‘Times are really tough for most people in the UK at the moment, so it’s small wonder that people want to let off steam on holiday.
‘It’s particularly interesting to me that some respondents actually enjoy adopting a whole new persona on holiday. It’s as if they’re conducting an experiment, which might lead to real change at a later date. In the midst of our busy lives, we often fantasise about embracing a completely different lifestyle, or becoming a different sort of person, and it seems as if holidays allow us to flirt with the sort of changes we dream about.
‘I’m also delighted to learn that most of us have more sex on holidays with our partners. Holidays are great times to reconnect with the person we love, and to remind each other of the importance of romance and closeness.
‘Many of us have no option but to work flat-out these days if we are to hold onto our jobs. But this can turn us into dull, stressed-out, irritable and terribly tired individuals. By taking a holiday, we restore balance and sanity into our lives. We have time to think. And we have time to just chill. Brilliant!’
The best laid plans
The behavioural changes begin early, in the lead-up to the holiday. Women make more elaborate preparations then men, mostly related to their appearance, with 62% buying new clothes, 36% dieting and 30% exercising. These traits are most marked in 25-34 year-olds. By region, people from Sheffield are most likely to buy new clothes (78%), while people from the North West are most likely to do absolutely no holiday preparation. Older holidaymakers do more research on the destination (65% of those aged 55-65).
British women buy very different clothes for their holidays; they are generally trendier, shorter, more colourful and different. Over a third (34%) say they dress more casually, but they also pack special eveningwear that is more formal (13%) and more provocative (12%).
Glaswegians are more likely to wear clothes that remind them of their holiday once home (20%), while one in five women wear white and wear less to show off their tan. In 7% of Brits, holiday wear kicks off a new look at home, more so in 25-34 year-olds (14%).
Rest is top priority
R&R is by far the priority from a holiday (71%), particularly for women (75%) and parents (74%). The chill-out time allows city dwellers in particular to reconnect with people (19%), particularly Londoners (22%) and those from Sheffield (30%).
Most Brits want to see beautiful places (60%), see another country (53%), enjoy a new experience (52%), have fun (52%) and escape (45%), although age divides these priorities. Older holidaymakers opt for culture (68% of 55-65 year olds) and younger people seek out fun (62%).
More men (35%) maintain their exercise regime abroad than women (26%) but 21% of holidaymakers do nothing at all.
Manners maketh the man
So what do they do? Get hot under the collar about littering (75%), poor body hygiene (63%) and loud voices (50%). Men hate people showing off and any signs of indulgent spending, while women in general, disapprove of topless sunbathing.
It could be a case of the pot calling the kettle black as while good conduct is admired by all, they drink more alcohol (26%), talk to strangers (26%), do things out of character (56%), wear more revealing clothes (17% of women), have sex with strangers (3% of men) and feel liberated by the fact that no-one knows who they are (38% of women and 28% of men).
Letting their inhibitions run wild extends to splashing their cash, on day trips (45%), local foods (41%) and local handicrafts (31%). Moreover, women are more likely to treat themselves (25% compared to 11% of men), but men are more likely to enjoy extreme sports (17% compared with 13% of women).
Regional variations show that Brummies are least likely to treat themselves to anything different to what they would normally buy at home (25%).
Hopes are high, however, that the time away from home will invigorate an existing relationship and for single women in particular (13%), be an opportunity for a holiday romance.
More sex please, we’re British!
A holiday can certainly spice up love lives of parents, reveals the report with 40% saying that have slightly more sex on holiday and of the overall sample, over one in ten saying they have much more. Regionally, Liverpudlians have more sex on holiday (16%), while those from Sheffield say they have slightly more (55%).
The higher frequency of sex is coupled with sex in more adventurous locations, particularly for 35-54 year-olds. Top of the list is the beach (17%), sea (12%), pool (8%), boat (4%) and plane (3%). The balcony also proved to be a particularly popular location.
Friendships flourish on holiday too, most notably with other Brits (19%) and it is especially true of 35-44 year-olds (27%) who are most likely to have children who will seek out similar-aged children.
British parents also play safe with foreign food, with 23% eating familiar foods but 24% of child-free couples eating exclusively local food, particularly so for older holidaymakers. More than a third (36%) bring their heightened tastebuds back home and extend their recipe repertoire.
More than four in ten (43%) drink more alcohol, particularly the child-free holidaymakers, with women being partial to exotic drinks and also richer foods, although it’s the 25-34 year-olds who ditch their diets (20%) and those from Sheffield who are most likely to drink more (60%), in contrast to Brummies who say they abstain (14%) altogether.
The report is an accurate barometer of current behaviour but it also canvassed opinion over concerns for future holidays. Some 40% of younger travellers (25-34 year-olds) wish to protect the planet and predict an increase in sustainability over the next decade, but this desire goes hand in hand with saying that luxury will be important (28%). This group is also the least likely to say they will stop flying (6%). So much for saving the planet!
The full report is available from www.kuoni.co.uk/holidayreport
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