3 out of 4 Americans talk to strangers more on vacation than at home
- last year
Those who travel to celebrate special occasions are happier and more successful than those who don’t, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults looked at their thoughts on milestone travel and found that while 48% save travel for special occasions, another 40% think you should travel as much as you can.
Respondents who vacation to celebrate their special moments are more likely to say they’re happy (88% vs. 76%) and deem themselves successful (89% vs. 71%) than those who believe in traveling as much as possible.
Those who believe travel should be reserved for occasions are also likely to describe themselves as cynical (45%), brave (45%) and loyal (45%). On the other hand, those who believe in traveling as much as possible say they’re not only loyal (44%), but also intelligent (34%) and funny (31%).
Overall, a majority of all respondents agree that it’s important to celebrate momentous occasions (83%) and nearly three-quarters claim they go all out when doing so (74%).
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of BeachBound, the survey found that while many go on vacation to celebrate romantic milestones such as their honeymoon (46%) and wedding (45%), others also take trips to celebrate yearly occasions like anniversaries (45%) and birthdays (45%).
Respondents revealed that the top birthdays worth a trip away are turning 50 (38%), 30 (35%) and 25 (31%).
People have also traveled to celebrate other big moments in their lives like buying a home (29%), graduating high school (25%) and getting a job (20%).
When celebrating these occasions away, respondents reported feeling loved (48%), blissful (38%) and even motivated for what comes next (44%).
More than seven in 10 admit they’re also more likely to talk to strangers on vacation than their normal day-to-day (77%), and 60% would even enjoy being congratulated by strangers if they were celebrating a special occasion.
It’s no surprise, then, that most respondents wish they could be their vacation selves at home (78%).
To share this feeling, 55% have gifted a loved one a vacation to celebrate a milestone, and 62% would love it if someone did the same for them.
The survey also looked at respondents’ views on what these celebratory trips should look like and found that more people prefer to celebrate milestones with intimate gatherings (37%) as opposed to large crowds (23%).
Interestingly, more Americans also think that the host or guest of honor should front the costs (28%) instead of the invited guests (24%).
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by BeachBound between Feb. 16 and Feb. 21, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults looked at their thoughts on milestone travel and found that while 48% save travel for special occasions, another 40% think you should travel as much as you can.
Respondents who vacation to celebrate their special moments are more likely to say they’re happy (88% vs. 76%) and deem themselves successful (89% vs. 71%) than those who believe in traveling as much as possible.
Those who believe travel should be reserved for occasions are also likely to describe themselves as cynical (45%), brave (45%) and loyal (45%). On the other hand, those who believe in traveling as much as possible say they’re not only loyal (44%), but also intelligent (34%) and funny (31%).
Overall, a majority of all respondents agree that it’s important to celebrate momentous occasions (83%) and nearly three-quarters claim they go all out when doing so (74%).
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of BeachBound, the survey found that while many go on vacation to celebrate romantic milestones such as their honeymoon (46%) and wedding (45%), others also take trips to celebrate yearly occasions like anniversaries (45%) and birthdays (45%).
Respondents revealed that the top birthdays worth a trip away are turning 50 (38%), 30 (35%) and 25 (31%).
People have also traveled to celebrate other big moments in their lives like buying a home (29%), graduating high school (25%) and getting a job (20%).
When celebrating these occasions away, respondents reported feeling loved (48%), blissful (38%) and even motivated for what comes next (44%).
More than seven in 10 admit they’re also more likely to talk to strangers on vacation than their normal day-to-day (77%), and 60% would even enjoy being congratulated by strangers if they were celebrating a special occasion.
It’s no surprise, then, that most respondents wish they could be their vacation selves at home (78%).
To share this feeling, 55% have gifted a loved one a vacation to celebrate a milestone, and 62% would love it if someone did the same for them.
The survey also looked at respondents’ views on what these celebratory trips should look like and found that more people prefer to celebrate milestones with intimate gatherings (37%) as opposed to large crowds (23%).
Interestingly, more Americans also think that the host or guest of honor should front the costs (28%) instead of the invited guests (24%).
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by BeachBound between Feb. 16 and Feb. 21, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).