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A promise of rest and relaxation, vacations have nevertheless become synonymous with stress, and not only at the time they take place. Their logistics require concentration and effort, their organization is now an agonizing project.
Already two years ago, the Ifop polling institute highlighted another aspect of the mental burden, which often fell on women and which we did not really talk about, that linked to the organization of vacations. In particular, 48% of French women indicated that they had to choose their holiday accommodation on their own compared to only 26% of men. Generally speaking, 66% of vacationers felt they had to manage all the logistics of the next family getaway without assistance, while only 34% had the same impression. The problem deserves all the more attention given that this type of planning is time-consuming. According to a recent Appinio study for Valdys, organizing before departure can take between fifteen minutes and an hour per day, according to 80% of French people.
What could be more surprising if a vacation plan is presented as a source of stress, in an international report conducted in twelve countries with 19,000 consumers. Surprisingly, it would be more stressful to book a trip… than a car! Revealed by the digitalization support platform for tourism and leisure players Elloha, this rich study reveals that almost three quarters of vacationers (72%) face too much information when choosing and booking accommodation. There is of course the location, but also the leisure activities nearby and not to mention the price. So many parameters to check, analyze and cross-check before making a decision.
At a time when Instagram is a showcase for recounting necessarily successful vacations, the pressure to experience a memorable trip has become a reality. Everything becomes complicated when options, taxes or even administrative fees are added when confirming a reservation. We were sure to go for it, but these are the kind of criteria that only raise the age-old question: is it safe, are we booking?
Not only is there the apprehension of not getting the service you paid for, felt by 76% of respondents, but there is also the need to concentrate much more than before to complete the logistics of the vacation . 41% of travelers surveyed say that this organization requires more effort from them than three years ago. The situation is such that 74% of travelers have even already abandoned purchases!
This new approach to organizing holidays is correlated with the place of digital technology which has become almost essential in terms of planning. In a recent numerical publication, Eurostat, the statistics office of the European Union, indicated that online reservation platforms had recorded 678.6 million nights in 2023 within the Union. We are talking about Booking as well as Airbnb or Expedia. This figure is up 13.8% compared to 2022.
Slide: These timeless activities that we only do on vacation