Destination deja vu? Maybe it's time for somewhere new!
Cheapflights.co.uk reports 8 in 10 return to the same holiday destination; 39% of travellers go to same resort each year.
We think of holidays as a break from the routine, but when it comes to getting away for an annual break it seems Brits are stuck in a rut, with around 80% returning to the same summer holiday destination more than once.
The findings are part of the Cheapflights Holiday Habits Research, carried out by holiday advice and deals comparison site, Cheapflights.co.uk, which polled over 1,027 people across the UK.
Cheapflights.co.uk travel expert, Oonagh Shiel, said: “If you’re a little too familiar with that balcony view – or you’ve been on first name terms with your holiday waiter for a few years now, perhaps it’s time to give each other a break and look at some other options – and swap your destination deja vu for something new.
“Whether you fancy a beach holiday, a spot of culture or some new gastronomic delights, there are some great reasons to break out of your regular holiday habits this year. For a bargain, check out Croatia before it enters the EU, affordable Lithuania or, for a real spectacle, the Northern Lights in Iceland, which is tipped to be close to its best this year. If you want to push the boat out and go further afield you can always go Gangnam Style to Korea – or check out Myanmar ahead of the crowd.
“Even if you’ve got an established holiday habit, with new taxes, fluctuating exchange rates, and destinations competing for the pound in your pocket, it’s worth checking out new holiday options to ensure you’re getting exactly what you want from your holiday – and the best possible deal. A little homework reveals that a lot of exotic destinations aren’t as pricey as you might think.”
Popular Holiday Habits
Holidaymakers like doing the same things while in the resort, with around four in ten choosing the same resort and restaurant while a third go to the same attractions. A significant number of people want to recreate the same experience of previous holidays - 20% eat the same meal, 14% talk to the same waiter, 13% take the same pictures while 7% opt for the same room.
Why they go back again (and again)
‘Price’ and ‘great weather’ were among the top reasons for getting into a ‘holiday habit’ – with most adamant that their deja vu destination is ‘the best holiday I’ve ever found’. ‘Easy to get to’ and ‘peace of mind’ also played a part in travellers visiting the destination more than once.
When it comes to repeat bookings, partners come before children, particularly for men, with ‘my partner likes it’ ranked 8th ahead of ‘my children like it’ coming in at 15th. Food also came ahead of ‘sports and activities’ in terms of reasons to return, with ‘safety’, and ‘feels like a second home’ rounding off the top ten.
Popular deja vu destinations
Brits named the UK, United States, Spain, France and Italy as the top five deja vu destinations for summer holidays. Other popular repeat holiday destinations were Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Portugal and India. It seems there is some disagreement between men and women on countries they choose to visit repeatedly; with men choosing the US and women opting for Spain.
Kicking the habit – what would make us break the cycle?
Price was named as the primary reason why people would stop visiting the same destination, ahead of ‘bad experience’ and ‘place has changed too much’. Also in joint third, a hardcore group were adamant that nothing would make them stop their deja vu habit and that they intended to continue to visit the same destination regularly. In fact, women were significantly more set in their holiday habits than men, making “nothing – I intend to go regularly” the 2nd most popular choice; compared to men who ranked it 4th.
Dream destinations to make us break the habit
Britons named Australia, New York, Hawaii, the Maldives and California, as the top ‘new’ destinations which would convince them to break their established holiday habit. Making up the top five new aspirational destinations were: Japan, Thailand, South Africa, Russia and Fiji.
To get a better idea of why people return to the same destination and engage in this repeat behaviour time after time, Cheapflights asked Chartered Psychologist, Dr Jane McCartney, to analyse the data.
“Most of us are creatures of habit; it is not unnatural for us to want to know what we are doing, when we are doing it – and with whom. However, as in many things, balance is crucial. Choosing a holiday destination is an excellent way of trying out something new and different – and stepping outside your normal patterns of behaviour,” said Dr McCartney.
“Researching and booking a new type of holiday destination is a really good way of keeping yourself stimulated, interested and energised. If you want to break out of a rut, use your imagination to its absolute limits. You may not be able to afford the most exotic holiday destination, but play with your options. Perhaps try to explore options in a different way; challenge your partner to help you research destinations – and beat your price. All of these are great ways to engage and make an active choice in deciding where to go on holiday – and give yourself a real break.”