Expedia has created a luggage packing game for consumers as part of an autumn discounting push.
Expedia packing ‘viral’ game to highlight autumn deals
Expedia has created a luggage packing game for consumers as part of an autumn discounting push.
Offers on overseas travel until March 2001 are being made available for bookings made by October 18. Discounts of up to 35% and free additional nights accommodation are among the deals.
The online company claims autumn bookings are already showing 30% stronger growth than for the summer season.
The ‘Case Closed’ consumer contest to find the champion packers, to be launched on October 1 at game.expedia.com, will challenge participants to pit their packing skills against other players through a viral game and against their friends through a Facebook application.
The promotion comes on the back of company research which found that one in six people admit to paying excess baggage charges. Meanwhile, one in ten paid an average of £50 in excess baggage in the last 12 months.
This may have cost them up to £270 million this summer, Expedia calculated. The study found that 72% of Brits have had items confiscated at security checkpoints with cosmetics (19%) and food (12%) among the top two.
While 40% spend between one and two days preparing for their holiday, nearly a third (27%) admit to spending less than an hour packing their suitcases. Yet three quarters of those asked (73%) admitted to not using everything they packed.
Nearly a third (58%) of British travellers consider a city break the hardest holiday to pack for, according to the poll.
“Our research shows that we are struggling with luggage restrictions and this is causing excess stress and unnecessary cost,” a spokeswoman said.
“Expedia data shows that city breaks are the most common type of break for autumn travellers and with more people travelling it seems we may need some guidance on how to pack more efficiently, so we’re launching a packing challenge to find Britain’s best packers.”
The research also found that all people really want to do while on holiday is truly escape from the norm with iPods and mobile phones featuring way down a list of holiday must-haves.
Bulky books and sun cream were the most important items for holidaymakers
Top ten items people can’t live without on their holiday:
1. Camera
2. Books
3. Sun cream
4. Sunglasses
5. Guide book
6. Mobile Phone
7. Travel adaptor
8. Shoes
9. iPod
10. Bikini
