This week’s top travel trends
(Friday 6 September) — The trends that caught our eye this week:
Instagram influences holiday choices of more than 10.6 million Brits
A new study conducted by holiday tour operator Villa Plus reveals that more than 10.6 million Brits are turning to social media when planning a trip. The research shows that while more than a third of British travellers are still influenced by friends and family, platforms such as Instagram now play a key role not only in the way Brits browse for travel inspiration, but also in the method they use to plan and book their trip. The findings also highlight a generational shift in travel priorities: for more than a fifth of 25-to-34-year-olds, ensuring a destination is ‘Instagram-worthy’ is a main factor when choosing where to go.
Decline in airline punctuality
According to a Which? analysis of almost 10 million flights, punctuality in the skies has deteriorated in the past five years. The findings show that eight of the 10 busiest UK carriers have seen an increase in delays of more than an hour — with an estimated 17 million passengers affected last year alone. Some of the major airlines included in the study are Ryanair, which has seen delays of over an hour more than double; EasyJet, which saw delays rise from under 5% to almost 9%; and Wizz Air, which also saw an increase from 3% to over 6%.
Top tips to travel responsibly
Luxury safari company Yellow Zebra Safaris has calculated the effectiveness of some of the most common tips to reduce carbon footprint and waste impact while travelling. According to the analysis, using an ocean-friendly sunscreen and leaving plastic packaging at home are in fact the two main ways to travel more sustainably. Other useful tips include, in order of effectiveness, shopping for sustainable or recycled swimwear, reducing luggage weight and opting for smaller, family-run hotels.