Are you an MBT? (Modern British Traveller)..Signs Revealed...

NATIONAL NEWS RELEASE

If you have visited 21 countries or more, been on a wine tasting tour, choose your Hotels based on the strength of the Wi-Fi and get your travel inspiration from social media “influencers” – you could well be an MBT (Modern British Traveller), according to new research.

Researchers took a detailed look into the travel habits of Britons and revealed almost half (48 percent) of us now shun the term “holiday-maker”, preferring the more discerning phrase “traveller”.

And the research, by Trainline has revealed a list of definitive signs you are LESS “holiday-maker” and MORE MBT, with preferring sight-seeing to partying (57 percent), visiting places based on the food and the culture (35 percent) – and enjoying a City break just as much as a beach holiday (52 percent) all emerging in the list.

The research reveals the role technology now plays in terms of travel, with one in ten Brits (11 percent) saying they wouldn’t choose a mode of transport that didn’t cater to their technology needs – and 44 percent feeling more in control of their travel plans when they have their tech with them on holiday.

According to the data, almost 20 percent prefer to use their smartphone to plan trips and journeys – with only 14 percent of us now using a traditional travel agent to research and manage their trip away.

The average adult now spends 2 hours 50 minutes taking photos on holiday, snapping on average 34 pictures over the trip which they will upload to social media and a further 24 percent will only choose Hotels based on whether they have free Wi-Fi and other technology available.

A spokesperson from Trainline, Europe’s number one independent train ticket retailer and train travel app, commented: “The survey has uncovered some really fascinating insights into who the MBTs are and what they are looking for when it comes to their trips away. One of the things that jumped out at us was how important ease of booking and arriving in the centre of a city are a priority for a large proportion of MBTs. This is why we’ve teamed up with the epitome of a modern British traveller, Eleanor Tomlinson to champion the rail revolution powered by technology like mobile tickets and the Trainline app.”

Believing the journey to be just as important as the holiday itself (36 percent), learning some of the language before you go (26 percent), having more than three different foreign plug adaptors in your home (26 percent) and carrying all of your travel documents on your smartphone (18 percent) were also sure fired signs you are securely in the MBT category.

Owning a kindle and having swum with sharks also made the list – as did having done a bungee jump and generally being happy to step outside your comfort zone on trips abroad.

According to the research, the average Briton now takes THREE trips every year in the UK and abroad – and travels a staggering 15,474 miles in total each year by train, plane and car.

The survey also revealed that for modern Brits, the traditional fortnight holiday has been replaced with 10 days (average length of main holiday) – with 52 percent now enjoying more frequent City breaks over longer beach holidays.

Almost half now prefer to eat at local restaurants opposed to “tourist traps”, and 30 percent try to find ways to avoid queues wherever possible.

Trainline has teamed up with rising British star Eleanor Tomlinson for its Lintenair campaign to help champion mobile tickets and the Trainline app. Find out more about the campaign at www.lintenair.com.

ARE YOU AN MBT (Modern British Traveller)?

• You prefer sight-seeing to partying (57 percent)
• You respect local cultures and customs (53 percent)
• You enjoy City breaks as much as beach holidays (52 percent)
• You eat at local restaurants rather than tourist traps (51 percent)
• You plan enough - but don’t plan everything (47 percent)
• You prefer to drink local beers and wines (39 percent)
• You choose experiences over packages (38 percent)
• You like short haul just as much as long haul (38 percent)
• You go with the flow (37 percent)
• You know how to be savvy with your travel budget (37 percent)
• You believe the journey is just as important as the destination (36 percent)
• You always look for ways to make your journey as convenient (36 percent)
• You research places to visit based on food and culture (35 percent)
• You welcome the unexpected (32 percent)
• Your holidays are authentic experiences (30 percent)
• You make new friends wherever you are (30 percent)
• You always look for ways to maximise your time (30 percent)
• You always try to find ways to avoid queues (30 percent)
• You are sometimes out of your comfort zone (29 percent)
• You regularly strike up a conversation with a stranger on a journey (27 percent)
• You have more than 3 different plug adaptors in your home (26 percent)
• You learn some of the language before you arrive (26 percent)
• You have a Kindle (25 percent)
• You’re always on the hunt for the perfect photograph (25 percent)
• You choose hotels based on whether they have free Wi-Fi and other tech (24 percent)
• You know how to be savvy with maximising your time (24 percent)
• You are always planning your next big trip (24 percent)
• You have travel apps on your smartphone (20 percent)
• You prefer travel by train rather than plane (18 percent)
• You like to have all travel documents on your smartphone (18 percent)
• You don’t follow guide books and ask your peers for hidden gems instead (17 percent)
• You have a favourite place to eat in more than 5 UK or European Cities (17 percent)
• You update daily on Instagram and/or Facebook while on holiday (16 percent)
• You’ve visited 21 countries or more (15 percent)
• People come to you for travel recommendations (15 percent)
• You choose environmentally friendly travel over other options if possible (13 percent)
• You rent other people’s homes (11 percent)
• You get your travel insights from social media influencers (10 percent)
• You’ve been on a wine tasting holiday (8 percent)
• You’ve picked grapes in a vineyard (8 percent)
• You’ve done a bungee jump (6 percent)
• You have your PADI (5 percent)
• You have swum with sharks (4 percent)

ENDS

For more information about the research contact Harriet Scott (harriet@gingercomms.com)