European party animals put British holidaymakers to shame - TNS research

The analysis of travel and holiday plans across six European markets - France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Britain - shows that although British holidaymakers are notorious for partying while abroad, they are far less likely to do so than the Spanish (24 per cent), Italian (eight per cent) and French (seven per cent). Even the Germans (four per cent) are partying harder than the Brits.

But the British aren't even swapping parties for culture with just seven per cent of Britons going on a 'cultural holiday' placing them at the bottom of the cultural scale. This compares with over a quarter of Italian (25 per cent) and Spanish (28 per cent) holidaymakers who have taken such a break in the past 12 months.

The TNS research shows that Britons are most likely to go on holiday to the beach
(37 per cent of British holidaymakers), followed by City breaks (32 per cent). In contrast, those in Spain and Germany are much more likely to take a City break (63 per cent and 44 per cent respectively).

Backpack holidays are also most popular with the Spanish (18 per cent) while Britons are the most likely of the six countries surveyed to take a shopping holiday (14 per cent).

'Our latest information shows that British holiday makers are taking fewer holidays compared with last year, particularly within the UK', said Tom Costley, Head of TNS Travel & Tourism. 'The low cost airline market is far more mature in the UK than in other European markets and British holidaymakers are making the most of it. In comparison, while the French take slightly more holidays than other Europeans, a large proportion are breaks within France.

*'Party holidays' are one of 18 types of holiday that respondents could choose from (see chart below). Party holidays are likely to be interpreted differently by different countries and could include a range of events and cultural celebrations such as fiestas, festivals and carnivals.

'The development of new air routes to and from regional airports is making certain areas of the UK, particularly Scotland, more accessible to visitors. However, it also enables residents themselves to travel abroad more easily for a short break to a city or beach destination.'
Question - 'I have made this type of trip in the last 12 months'



Other top line findings from the TNS Travellers' Panel show:

• Holidaymakers in Britain are most likely to travel abroad to Spain, with 19 per cent of people visiting Spain in the past 12 months. This compares with 14 per cent who visited France and six per cent who went to Italy.

• Out of the six countries surveyed, Britons were most likely to holiday in America or Canada (11 per cent of people vs two to three per cent of people in Spain, Italy, France and Holland).

• People in Spain and Italy were most likely to visit France (13 per cent), while the French and Germans were most likely to holiday in Spain (12 per cent and 11 per cent respectively).

• Across all those surveyed, less than 10 per cent of people who travelled abroad visited Britain, falling to just five per cent among the French and Dutch.