School’s out – 1 in 2 Brits abroad willing to take their kids away in term time
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Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash
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50% of UK holidaymakers are happy to take their children out of school during term time, a new survey has revealed.
The
1,500-people survey, released today by UK package travel retailer
Holiday Hypermarket, highlighted the familiar clichés of Brits abroad,
but it also showed that a growing number of UK holidaymakers – 49% of
those surveyed – are willing to remove their children from school during
term time, whether that is to save money or simply for convenience.
The full list of characteristics most associated with a Brit abroad can be seen below:
1
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Terrible sunburn
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64.93%
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2
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Drinking before 12pm
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58.50%
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3
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Not learning the language
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54.45%
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4
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Searching for hours for English food
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53.15%
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5
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Having a fry-up abroad
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52.93%
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6
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Packing tea bags
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46.93%
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7
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Socks and sandals
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43.60%
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8
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Reserving sun loungers with towels
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35.50%
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9
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Talking about the weather at home
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33.41%
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10
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Constantly checking the weather
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23.28%
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11
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Novelty towels
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21.91%
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12
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Buying items from beach sellers
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17.35%
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13
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Not sure / other characteristic
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5.50%
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Holiday
Hypermarket representative Craig Duncan comments, “It’s interesting to
see what people associate with the term ‘Brits abroad’, especially as
this survey was carried out in the UK. I wonder how this would compare
with what our European neighbours think?”
The
survey explores a wide range of opinions relating to package holidays
abroad and revealed a number of intriguing and, sometimes comical,
insights.
In
addition to those happy to pay to book a sunbed, one in four of those
surveyed are also prepared to get up early to reserve their prime sunbed
spot by the pool. And
the pool is where we are happiest, with 38% of us preferring to hang
out there, in comparison with 32% who prefer the beach (30% are unsure).
Overall, beach package holidays still rule the roost with 62% of us opting for this getaway type over others. As far as families are concerned, there are a number of debates that continue to cause a stir across social media and beyond.
49%
of people think it’s OK for parents to take their kids out of school
for holidays, with 26% against the idea and 25% on the fence.
And
when we’re on holiday, 65% of people think it’s unacceptable for kids
to use mobiles or tablets at the dinner table. This has risen from 56%
in 2015. So are we dialling down our tech more than ever, in favour of
connecting with our families when on holiday?
While
this may be true, interestingly, over 40% of parents part company with
their children while on holiday, using the very accommodating kids’
clubs. Another topic for debate.
Duncan
continues, “There are many debates surrounding holidays but one thing’s
for sure; singles, couples and families all need downtime and are
willing to spend more for a better experience. At the same time, if
there are savings to be made, people will take holidays at times that
are more convenient, which is understandable given the wider financial
pressures of life.”