Amsterdam,
30
July
2017
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00:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Expectation versus reality - our holiday hopes and fears revealed

Five Great Hopes

Arriving to perfect weather:

For two-thirds of us (65%) arriving to perfect weather is the ultimate goal. The warmth of the sun makes us instantly feel relaxed. Fortunately, this happens more often than not, just, with 67% of people stating their expectations were exceeded by reality.

Having a seamless travel experience:

Taxis, transfers, check in, fly, baggage reclaim, customs, immigration – a lot goes in to getting from A to B when having a holiday and a seamless travel experience is the dream of 60% of Kiwis. Sadly, only 57% of travellers can report ever having a faultless travel experience.

Discovering a hidden gem:

The intrepid travellers amongst us love to get off the beaten track and find hidden gems, whether that be a restaurant, café, or an awesome swimming spot. Forty-four per cent of people shared a desire to find hidden gems, but gems are hard to find. Only 37% of survey respondents actually achieved it.

Receiving and accommodation upgrade:

The fabled accommodation upgrade. We’ve all dreamt of it, heard tales of friends of friends it has happened to and 40% percent of us have spent some serious time hoping for it. Whilst we can report it does happen, it’s so rare only 12% of people can say it’s actually happened to them. Keep dreaming.

Easy accommodation check-in:

After a long flight and leaving home what feels like 36 hours ago, and very often is if you’re a Kiwi travelling long haul, you just want to check in and be told your room is ready for you. Fortunately, dreams can become reality, 54% of people said this was one of their biggest hopes and an equal 54% of people said it had happened to them.

Five Worst Fears

Lost luggage:

For respondents of the Booking.com survey this was their biggest fear. Forty-six per cent of people had spent some serious time worrying about it. Luckily, or unluckily, it had only ever happened to 8% of people.

Accommodation not being as described / pictured:

It’s reportedly got a great view of the sea but when you turn up the accommodation instead has a great view of a building site. Travellers spend hours agonising over choosing the perfect accommodation, by reading reviews (Booking.com report all their 124million reviews are genuine), descriptions and studying pictures. Forty-five per cent of people have worried that they’ve made the wrong accommodation choice and 18% of people have then gone on to regret it.

Poor Wi-Fi:

A good Wi-Fi connection is a must for many of today’s modern travellers. Forty-four per cent of travellers have agonised about how to get online before going on holiday, 31% have then had their worst fears realised. How will they update Facebook?

Falling ill:

Being ill on holiday is probably one of the most unfortunate things that can happen to any traveller. Thirty-nine per cent of people have worried about it to some extent and despite all the advice available and precautions in place, it’s happened to 14% of respondents. Top tip, unless safe to do otherwise, drink only bottled water.

Forgetting something crucial:

Ever sat down on the plane and had that nagging feeling you’ve forgotten something? Then you’re not alone, 38% of people have reported worrying about forgetting something and regrettably 14% of people actually have.

Summary

Ever wondered what the chances of getting that room upgrade really are? Or worried about the likelihood of the airline losing your luggage? The world’s biggest online travel agent, Booking.com, surveyed 500 Kiwis to discover what we all wish for and what we dread about travelling. The results reveal a list of hopes and fears along with the, often-fortunate, reality.

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CONTACT DETAILS

For further information, contact the Booking.com New Zealand Press Office;

Ian Benet – 022 169 5443

NOTES TO EDITORS

Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a nationally representative sample, provided by Research Now. In total 500 New Zealanders were surveyed. Respondents completed an online survey between 27th April and 15th May 2017.

About Booking.com:

Booking.com is the world leader in booking hotel and other accommodations online. It guarantees the best prices for any type of property – from small independents to five-star luxury. Guests can access the Booking.com website anytime, anywhere from their desktops, mobile phones and tablet devices, and they don’t pay booking fees – ever. The Booking.com website is available in 43 languages, offers over 1.2 million accommodations including 651,583 vacation rental properties and covers 110,983 unique destinations in 227 countries and territories worldwide. It features over 118M reviews written by guests after their stay, and attracts online visitors from both leisure and business markets around the globe. With over 20 years of experience and a team of over 15,000 dedicated employees in 199 offices worldwide, Booking.com operates its own in-house customer service team, which is available 24/7 to assist guests in their native languages and ensure an exceptional customer experience.