Globales Apartments Binimar, Menorca.
Data reveals that the best friendships are made during couple getaways with 61% making new mates whilst holidaying with their other halves. Family holidays don’t come far behind with 42% still keeping in touch with their besties they met during their break.
With 30th July marking the United Nations International Day of Friendship, a recent survey from online travel agent, Holiday Hypermarket, has revealed that a surprising number of us find friendship while we’re on holiday.
Of the 1,500 holidaymakers polled, 83% say that they’ve made new friends whilst they’ve been abroad and these friendships don’t appear to be confined to that week by the pool in Benidorm, as 68% still keep in touch with one another back in the UK.
In fact, 46% have remained friends for at least five years and results suggest that, for some at least, this friendship will keep on growing. Take those aged 65+ for example, one in four of this age group have friendships still going strong 10 years on from when they initially met on holiday.
Data reveals that the best friendships are made during couple getaways with 61% making new mates whilst holidaying with their other halves. Family holidays don’t come far behind with 42% still keeping in touch with their besties they met during their break.
When it comes to keeping in touch, social media is the most popular method, with one third of respondents staying on each other’s radar by following one another on Facebook or Twitter. This is followed closely by 27% who continually nurture their friendship by meeting up. Others use instant messaging apps (20%) before the more traditional communication methods of sending emails or letters (12%). Talking on the phone is the least favoured way of staying in touch with only 8% doing so.
It emerged that 32% of respondents don’t stay in touch with their new holiday friends, the main reason being because they live too far away from each other (49%). Other reasons included the fact that they’re unable to as they didn’t actually swap contact details (22%), or if they did they have lost them (19%). There’s also finding the time to do so with 9% saying they just can’t fit it in.
Of those surveyed, just 7% book a getaway to do exactly that – getaway from everyone. They admit that they never socialise with other holidaymakers however this is subject to change in certain circumstances. When asked what they’d do if they bumped into a work colleague abroad, 68% of the respondents said they’d have a quick chat while a minority 16% would avoid at all costs.
A similar pattern would occur if they bumped into an old school friend with 58% saying they’d stop for a quick chat although one in four people admit that they would avoid them at all costs. On the other hand, if they were to bump into a member of their extended family in the same destination, 52% would arrange to meet up with them again during their trip.
Craig Duncan, Brand Manager from Holiday Hypermarket commented, “Striking up new friendships, especially as an adult isn’t always the easiest thing to do, particularly with the busy lifestyles that we all live today.”
“We are pleasantly surprised to discover that more than two thirds find friendships while on holiday and the fact that they’re long-lasting is even better. We hope that our package holidays are able to continue adding to this, as friends are such a big part of our lives!”
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
