The team at the travel search engine momondo.co.uk, who were behind the global survey, are surprised so many questioned indicated they would like to learn more about their geographical origin or even visit some of the places from which they came.
In a new worldwide survey from travel search engine momondo.co.uk, almost half of Britons would want to learn more about a destination, and more than one third would even want to travel there, if they found out they have ancestors from that country.
What would you do if you found out you had ancestors in a country you did not know you came from? Momondo.co.uk asked this question to 7,200 people from around the world, including 400 from Britain. About half of all Britons asked, 48 %, would want to learn more about that country, and a third would even want to travel there.
The team at the travel search engine momondo.co.uk, who were behind the global survey, are surprised so many questioned indicated they would like to learn more about their geographical origin or even visit some of the places from which they came.
"We wanted to explore how people would react if they found out that they have more geographic ancestry in common with the world's citizens, than they might think," says Lasse Skole Hansen, spokesperson at momondo and continues:
“Other findings from the study indicate that travelling makes us more trusting, because we go out and meet other people and cultures, finding out we are not so different from our neighbours, after all. And now we can actually see our ancestors' travels through the centuries have an impact on where we would like to travel today.”
DNA analysis confirms: Increasing interest in our ancestry
According to AncestryDNA, the world’s largest provider of personal DNA testing, scientific and technological developments have made it possible for many more people to find out their origins. And that is something of great interest.
"We are currently seeing a growing trend in learning more about the many ethnicities that form part of us. When our clients get their results, they often develop a passion to explore and even visit their newfound ethnic heritage, and are showing an increased interest in the culture, people and geography, from which their biological ancestors came," says Brad Argent, spokesperson at AncestryDNA.
37 percent of Britons want to travel tracing their DNA
Of the survey’s participating countries, not all people are equally interested in learning more about a possible newfound ethnicity. In Britain, more than a third would even travel tracing their DNA. South Africans (74 %), Turks (65 %) and Mexicans (69 %) are especially interested in learning more about their origin countries.
Facts: British interest in origin
- 48 per cent would want to learn more about the countries and regions, they found out that they came from
- 37 per cent would want to travel to the countries they found out that they came from
- 19 per cent believed they would be more open to people from the countries they found out that they came from
- 21 per cent would change their view of themselves if they discovered they were from new countries through their DNA 25 per cent would not care
Facts: Global interest in origin
- 53 per cent would want to learn more about the countries and regions, they found out that they came from
- 46 per cent would want to travel to the countries they found out that they came from
- 22 per cent believed they would be more open to people from the countries they found out that they came from
- 19 per cent would change their view of themselves if they discovered they were from new countries through their DNA
- 21 per cent would not care.
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.
