Choosing where to go on that all-important annual holiday is a big decision. Most of us only get one or two breaks abroad per year, so the pressure is on to get it right.
So, how do you choose your holiday hotspot? From reviews in newspapers and magazines? After seeing somewhere on TV? Or do you simply select the place with the highest possible temperatures?
Research has found that, in actual fact, the vast majority of us will use our friends as guinea pigs and visit somewhere that they’ve been before.
A study by holiday company sunshine.co.uk has found a rise in the number of “copycat holidays”, with 78 per cent of respondents basing their destination decision on where their mates have been.
“If your mate has just got back from a luxurious Caribbean resort and you’ve been visiting the same rainy resort in Cornwall for as long as you can remember, it’s bound to strike a competitive chord somewhere within you and make you want to visit somewhere just as good, if not the same, resort as them,” said Chris Clarkson, co-founder of sunshine.co.uk.
Of those who had visited the same place as their friends, 54 per cent said it was down to the fact that their friends had given a good recommendation of the destination.
But if you’re thinking of booking a holiday based on a friend’s review, be careful. Some 21 per cent of those surveyed said they were disappointed with the recommendation.
Just over a third of respondents said it was more a case of “keeping up with the Joneses” than being given a good recommendation.
“Keeping up with the Joneses is clearly a real phenomenon within the holiday realm, but I don’t think it matters if you’re going to the same places as your friends,” added Mr Clarkson.
“What matters is whether you like the place you’re visiting and if you’re having a good holiday!”
