More than one in ten (14%) of holidaymakers would rather lose their passport than their mobile phone while travelling, rising to almost a third among Millennials (28%) and Gen Z (29%)
Mobile phones are increasingly important for British holidaymakers with a fifth (19%) admitting that they rely on them even more when abroad than when at home. In fact, 14 percent of Brits consider their mobile phone so essential that they would rather lose their passport than their device when travelling on a foreign holiday.
New research from iD Mobile reveals the extent to which tech-hungry Brits depend on their devices for planning and enjoyment of their trips. Younger generations rely twice as much on their mobile as their seniors when abroad – those aged 18-27 spending 89 minutes a day on their device during a getaway.
However, Gen X1 use their device for just 47 minutes on average, whilst Boomers2 use theirs for only 31 minutes a day.
Demonstrating the growing need to stay connected while travelling, 40 percent of Millennials3 and 34 percent of Gen Z4 admit they use their phone even more on holiday than at home.
The OnePoll study of 2,000 adults who go on foreign holidays found that even though they are away from home, travellers love nothing more than staying connected to make use of apps and new technology to enhance their travel experiences.
It emerged that a fifth (20%) will turn to AI to plan activities on their next getaway and one in ten (9%) have already done so, rising to 19 percent and 20 percent among Millennials and Gen Z.
Of those who have already used AI on their travels, deciding which landmarks to visit (34 per cent), booking accommodation (32%) and accommodation recommendations (30%) were the top uses. And 29 percent had used it to create a budgeting plan. 70 percent say that they intend to use AI to assist with ‘a lot’ or ‘all’ of their holiday planning in future.
According to the research, a third of Britons (31%) have had to pay additional roaming charges while abroad with an average charge costing them £50.
77 percent of respondents said that mobile networks should allow customers to browse the internet for free while abroad.
Lewis Henry, Customer and Marketing Director, of iD Mobile, who commissioned the research, said: "You shouldn't have to go without your normal creature comforts when on holiday. Our research found millions of adults rely on their phones while they’re away just as much as they do at home.
“And in many cases, they’re even more important – while you may not necessarily need to scroll social media from your sunbed, getting directions or weather updates could be really handy.
“Just because you’re abroad doesn’t mean you should need to worry about additional costs of staying connected.”
Brits Abroad & Their Phone Habits – A Snapshot of Key Findings:
Tap to Travel:
Say farewell to printed travel documents, as Brits embrace the convenience of scanning tickets to get away. In a positive move for the planet, a third (35%) of Brits now scan their way to a holiday and rely on their phones for important travel documents, including their flight boarding passes. Upon arrival, mobile phones are also important for other practical uses such as checking the weather (44%), online banking (26%), contactless payments (17%), searching public transport timetables (20%) and booking taxis (14%).
Tour Guides in our Palms:
The lure of adventure lies more easily in our grasp thanks to our devices. 44% of travellers rely on their mobile for maps and directions at their destination, 28% to find places to eat, while a quarter look up walking routes (25%) and online guides to the country they’re visiting (23%).
Entertainment On-the-Go:
Delayed in the departure lounge? Or simply bored on the beach? A third of Brits use their phones to keep their eye on the news back home (30%) using their phones, while a quarter rely on them for streaming music (26%) or other entertainment such as podcasts (12%) and watching TV/film (11%). A diligent 13% of Brits also like to use their devices to learn the local language.
Live, Laugh…Like?:
Taking photos of our holidays is unsurprisingly the number one use of devices for Brits abroad: on average we take 10.83 snaps each day of holiday. However, motivations differ for capturing those ‘Kodak moments’ when it comes to the generations and sharing them on social media. While famous landmarks are the top subject for Boomers (28%), Gen Z are strongly drawn to nature’s beauty as their top choice (59%), as are Millennials, albeit less so (39%). For Gen Z, food photography also ranks highly (54%) as do selfies at bars and restaurants (46%). On average, Gen Z and Millennials post on social media 8.72 times during a week-long break, while Gen X and Boomers post far less at 3.65 times.
‘Digital Detox’ Dilemma:
Despite the trend for ‘digital detoxes’, more than half of Brits (51%) agree that our mobile phones are so essential that it’s impossible to take a break from them when on holiday. In fact, Millennials and Gen Z confess to using their phones even more when abroad than at home (40% and 34% respectively). Older generations find it easier to unplug with Boomers and Gen X saying their use their phones less while on holiday (52% and 36% respectively.
The younger generations also find it harder to switch off from the daily grind with one in ten Millennials (13%) and Gen Zs (8%) confessing to using their phones for work while abroad.
Lewis Henry of iD Mobile, added: “There are so many things we take for granted now, that our phones give us.
“From being able to capture and edit photos and videos of our trips, to using AI as a travel guide, or even just entertaining us during transfers, phones are critical to the enjoyment of our holidays.
“eSIMs are now a great way of avoiding extra charges, conveniently allowing customers to switch to another network provider in a click for the chance to benefit from a better value roaming deal and make savings while they’re abroad.
“Of course, it’s good to look up every now and again to get a glimpse of where you’re staying – as ever, it’s all about finding the right balance.”
iD Mobile allows travellers to roam for free in 50 destinations worldwide, with up to 30GB of data at no extra cost – that’s more data and more destinations than any other network - across all plans.
eSIM technology allows people to use two network providers simultaneously on one device, so users can simply switch to the more cost-effective roaming provider once they arrive at their destination. iD Mobile offers award-winning eSIM plans on a one-month rolling basis, including inclusive roaming for as little as £6 a month – a small price to pay to avoid the risk of running up a big phone bill.
All iD’s plans feature Inclusive Roaming, meaning customers can use their UK monthly allowances of minutes, texts, and data (up to 30GB) just like they would at home. iD’s 30GB roaming data allowance is also more generous than any other network, taking the worry out of nasty bill shocks while travelling.
iD Mobile offers a huge range of flexible, feature-packed handset and fixed price SIM-only plans, all including Data Rollover, 99% UK 4G coverage and the UK’s fastest 5G powered by Three, plus 24/7 help and support. What’s more, iD customers save £240 a year on average compared to major networks, leaving more to spend on holidays! Now that’s ‘Mobile done right!’.
For more information on iD Mobile, visit www.idmobile.co.uk
ENDS
For more information on the study, please contact: [email protected] or 0207 867 3721.
About iD Mobile
Launched in May 2015, iD Mobile is the Mobile Virtual Network Operator from Currys plc that runs on the Three network. Its plans are amongst the best value in the UK, covering flexible SIM only deals and the latest flagship smartphones.
iD Mobile’s offering is built around its customers, providing ‘no fluff, just the good stuff’. Which means amazing value deals, great service and fantastic features such as the UK's fastest 5G, Data Rollover, and Roaming in 50 destinations worldwide included on all plans at no extra cost. In iD’s own words – that’s ‘mobile done right’.
iD Mobile's SIM only plans were recently endorsed by Which? for 'Great Value' for the second time in a row, and iD Mobile were voted 'Best Network for Data' and 'Best Contract Value for Money' at the Uswitch Telecoms Awards 2024.
About Currys plc
Currys plc is a leading omnichannel retailer of technology products and services, operating online and through 815 stores in 8 countries. We Help Everyone Enjoy Amazing Technology, however they choose to shop with us.
In the UK & Ireland we trade as Currys; in the Nordics under the Elkjøp brand and as Kotsovolos in Greece. In each of these markets we are the market leader, employing almost 28,000 capable and committed colleagues. Our full range of services and support makes it easy for our customers to discover, choose, afford and enjoy the right technology for them, throughout their lives. The Group’s operations include state-of-the-art repair facilities in Newark, UK, a sourcing office in Hong Kong and an extensive distribution network, enabling fast and efficient delivery to stores and homes.
Our vision, We Help Everyone Enjoy Amazing Technology, has a powerful social purpose at its heart. We believe in the power of technology to improve lives, help people stay connected, productive, healthy, and entertained. We’re here to help everyone enjoy those benefits and with our scale and expertise, we are uniquely placed to do so.
We’re a leader in giving technology a longer life through repair, recycling and reuse. We’re reducing our impact on the environment in our operations and our wider value chain and we will achieve net zero emissions by 2040. We offer customers products that help them save energy, reduce waste and save water, and we partner with charitable organisations to bring the benefits of amazing technology to those who might otherwise be excluded.
1. Those born between 1965 and 1980
2. Those born between 1946 and 1964
3. Those born between 1980 and 1994
4. Those born between 1995 and 2012