Is this the perfect formula for 2017 travel?

Is this the perfect formula for 2017 travel?
By Hannah Edensor


A good Internet connection + my bed + me, myself & I = could this be the equation for the perfect 2017 holiday?

AccorHotels.com partners with GFK research institute to find out who your ideal travel companion would be, and apparently it all comes down to being connected.

A good, free internet connection is what 47 per cent of people surveyed chose as what they missed the most when far from home.

This is especially true in the 18-24 age bracket, with 54 per cent, vs. 40 per cent of people aged 50 to 65.

The online study conducted by AccorHotels, assisted by the research institute GfK 2017, spoke to 5,939 men and women aged between 18 and 65 who have spent at least one night in a paying establishment over the past 12 months.

According to the research, our favourite people to go exploring with still remain our partners, our kids, and our mates.

But 19 per cent of travellers nevertheless consider their favorite travel companion to be none other than themselves. For example, 25 per cent of Germans, Americans and Indians surveyed said they prefer to go away on their own.

Me, my Internet connection and nothing else? Doesn’t sound too shabby actually. Once again, the generation gap is significant with a higher number of young travellers aged 18 to 24 preferring to enjoy their own company when away.

Meanwhile, colleagues and bosses only found favour with Chinese travellers, 40 and 48 per cent of which were open to going on holiday with their boss or colleagues respectively.

Last but not least, 38 per cent of respondents also said that their bed and pillows are what they miss the most when they’re away, which was almost as many as those who said they missed friends and family the most (40 per cent).

We spoke to Aussies about their holidays too, and found out:

  • 76 per cent of Aussies feel excited when they are preparing to go on holidays.
  • Almost 40 per cent of Aussies are looking for adventure and 35 per cent travel to escape.
  • In defiance of the Aussie stereotype, only 16 per cent told us they were travelling to party.
  • Surpassed only by their French counterparts, Aussies aged 50-65 travelled the most compared with other age groups. In comparison, only nine  per cent of Chinese aged 50-65 travelled.
  • Aussies were some of the most romantic in the world, with almost 70 per cent choosing their lover as their perfect travel companion. They also told us that they would prefer to travel with their boss rather than their neighbour!
  • Over 50 per cent of Aussies expect their accommodation choices to deliver a home away from home experience.

Study conducted between April 27 and May 11, 2017 in France, the UK, Germany, USA, UAE, Argentina, Brazil, China, India and Australia).

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