How many bags will you be checking in? 120 please
Almost half (48 per cent) of UK holidaymakers would class themselves as ‘culture vultures’ according to the Post Office travel truths survey. But it seems they still insist on taking a little piece of home away with them. While many travel to experience everything new cultures have to offer, it seems this does not stretch to risking an inferior cuppa.
More than one in five (22 per cent) UK travellers always put aside space in their suitcase for their favourite tea bag. Those who mentioned a particular brand put Yorkshire Tea on the top of the pile (30 per cent) with Tetley (18 per cent) in second place. When it comes to coffee it appears UK travellers are much more trusting of their foreign hosts with only 6 per cent taking their own supply on holiday. Food and drink seems to be high on most travellers’ priority list with nearly half (45 per cent) using their extra suitcase space for some kind of refreshment.
Top 10 items UK travellers always make room for in their suitcase
Tea Bags 22 per cent
Coffee 6 per cent
Books 5 per cent
Shoes 5 per cent
Chocolate 3 per cent
Biscuits 3 per cent
Marmite 2 per cent
Straighteners 2 per cent
Kindle 2 per cent
Crisps 1 per cent
Despite the high number of cultural tourists, books and kindles are only considered vital for 7 per cent of those surveyed with most favouring domestic luxuries. Many take the phrase quite literally with 1 per cent of travellers viewing toilet paper as a travel essential. One respondent takes their comfort so seriously that they will never pack a suitcase without their memory foam mattress topper.
Even though there are more opportunities to experiment abroad, others see never being too far from a full English breakfast as important. Bacon, sausage, black pudding, beans and brown sauce feature amongst other must-pack items. One canny Edinburgh man could even make it a full Scottish breakfast, with the tinned haggis he never leaves the country without.
Paul Havenhand, Head of Insurance at Post Office, said: “Whether you are travelling to immerse yourself in another culture or soak up the sun, it’s clear that a lot of UK adults enjoy taking a piece of the familiar with them. But apart from a good cup of tea, it seems people’s ideas of what is a travel ‘essential’ are as varied as their favourite destinations. One thing that should always be considered vital for travellers is making sure they have the correct level of travel insurance cover when on holiday, no matter if they are adventurers or sun bathers. That way they can ensure they get the best treatment possible if they run into difficulty.”