Mobile usage on holiday drops as people ‘switch off’

BDRC Continental’s Holiday Insights survey suggests two in five UK holidaymakers want to ‘escape and switch off’ on holiday and notes a year-on-year fall in the proportion “using mobile devices for social networking and sending text messages”. Continue reading →

BDRC Continental’s Holiday Insights survey suggests two in five UK holidaymakers want to ‘escape and switch off’ on holiday and notes a year-on-year fall in the proportion “using mobile devices for social networking and sending text messages”.

Researchers asked about mobile use on holidays taken in 2016 and found 59% of respondents used a smartphone while away, two percentage points down on 2015.

Unsurprisingly, holidaymakers were most likely to use their mobile device to take photos. But BDRC noted “notable declines in the proportion social networking, emailing and sending text messages”.

The proportion engaging in social networking fell four percentage points year on year, those sending texts or emails were down six percentage points, and those making phone calls down seven points. Instant messaging was up just one percentage point.

Researchers also found 29% used mobile apps for destination information, 51% for weather reports and 59% for maps. Of the 39% who did use social media while away, two-thirds did so to find out what others were doing and half to tell others about their holiday. One in four posted on social media post-holiday.