British holidaymakers spend two days of every trip surfing the net

More than a quarter of British holidaymakers say they wouldn't stay at a hotel that doesn't offer free Wi-Fi. Previously when booking a holiday, British travellers may have looked at such things as the luxuriousness of a hotel, the wealth of attractions on offer at a resort or the quality of local amenities, although these days it seems many people are more concerned with an altogether different set of criteria.

According to a recent survey of 2,000 UK holidaymakers by lastminute.com, huge numbers now see technology as a vital part of their trip, and have shown themselves to be averse to booking a getaway to a location or hotel that prevents them from staying connected to the internet.

Rather than opting to get away from it all and log out of their email accounts while on holiday, just over a quarter of those surveyed said they would not stay in a hotel that does not offer Wi-Fi.

Not only do British travellers insist on internet connection being available at their accommodation, but 27 per cent also stated that they would expect this service to be free, enabling them to remain in contact with friends and colleagues back home while on their break.

Amazingly, 90 per cent of respondents even claimed that they spend an average of two days of each holiday surfing the internet, either for work or pleasure, with many spending large amounts of time on social media networks.

Gadgets and technology now appear to be viewed as essential forms of entertainment by British holidaymakers, with almost half of those involved in the study saying they rely on their devices to help them have a good time while on a getaway, whether for watching films, listening to music or generally browsing the net.

Around 85 per cent of tourists now say they always take their smartphone or tablet away with them, although it's important to get all items insured when travelling, just in case anything should happen to them.

Posted by Anne Jones

Taking your phone, tablet or other devices away with you? Consider gadget insurance for travel to help protect the items you rely on during your trip.

Published 01 Jun 2014

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