Travel: Do you suffer pre-holiday tension?

Despite the desire and thrill of jetting off to distant shores, new research from TeletextHolidays.co.uk today unveiled that a staggering half of Brits suffer from Pre-Holiday Tension (PHT).

The Teletext Holidays survey found Brits spend a whopping three years in total searching and prepping for the perfect getaway over an average lifetime. With 53 per cent admitting their stresses and not enjoying planning their holiday, 43 per cent self-diagnosed themselves as suffering from PHT.

After all that research and preparation, it’s not surprising that it takes stressed-out Brits two days of being away before they actually start to relax and enjoy their holiday! Men, surprisingly, seem to stress out more than women, with 65 per cent of men stressing and only half of the ladies!

Families will spend a staggering two weeks deciding on their next holiday destination, with the ladies taking over two days more (15 days) than the guys (13 days) to decide, with an average stay of nine days, meaning they spend longer researching than relaxing! It seems those from the South West spend the longest - an average of 16 days picking the perfect holiday - whereas those from the Midlands find their holiday within 12 days.

If that wasn’t enough, holidaymakers then spend a further 13 hours researching their trip from details on their hotel accommodation, the local area and attractions as well as 11 hours arranging transport and transfers - with Scots spending up to 13 hours booking their transport compared to those canny Yorkshire folk who spend just nine hours.

Pack it in to Look Good

Then there’s tackling the dreaded suitcase. Sun-shopaholics on average spend 11 hours shopping for the perfect holiday wardrobe, with 18-24 year-olds taking five hours more than over 55s. Nearly half of men do their holiday shopping in five hours - whereas the take their time spending up to 10 hours (23%). We then spend nine hours washing and ironing and two days cramming it all into our luggage allowance! With men seemingly speed packing in half a day.

Not forgetting the pre-holiday preening, 25-34 year-olds are the most conscious about their looks on holiday before jetting off, with Londoners spending ten hours getting that perfect pre-holiday look, but the national average spend up to eight hours beautifying themselves - that’s quite literally a day at the office!

Amy Patel, Senior Marketing Manager for Teletext Holidays, who commissioned the study to mark the launch of their new Holiday Price Alert Service, said: “Most of us are lucky to have even one holiday abroad a year, so we wanted to minimise PHT and maximise the enjoyment for holidaymakers. Our new Holiday Price Alert Service is free and simple to use and ensures that customers can reduce their PHT by using our all-in-one facility.

“The Internet has opened up a travel window to the world, but it sometimes feels like information overload. It’s clear that in searching for the perfect break, Brits are stressing themselves out as over half have put off any holiday preparation this year in a bid to ease their PHTs. We want you to enjoy the Pre-Holiday build up and get excited about your trip - after all, relaxing as soon as you are on your perfect getaway is what it’s all about!”

Psychologist, Donna Dawson, commented on how best to avoid the PHT symptoms and maximise stress-free holiday fun: “With a little forethought and organisation, PHT can be reduced or even eliminated. First, pin the holiday destination down as soon as possible, as research shows that this takes up most of the planning time. Agree with your partner or family to whittle it down to two choices. At this point, hold a meeting where the pros and cons of each holiday are discussed and written down; the one with the most positive points should win.

“Second, learn the lessons from the things that went wrong on your last holiday. For example, a heavy suitcase can cause anxiety, physical stress and even a fine from the airline, so practise packing below the maximum recommended level so that you have room to bring back a few souvenirs.

“Third, know that you will sometimes be at odds with family members about what to do when on holiday. Arrange it so that they can have days off from any planned itinerary to do their own thing; or spend half the day doing what you want (e.g., sunning on the beach) and the other half doing what your partner wants (e.g., visiting a museum). A looser itinerary that offers some flexibility may be the best bet.

“Finally, make the three stages above fun because booking a holiday should not be a chore. Have country-themed family dinners midweek, prizes for the closest to packing weight and give each family member a day of the holiday they are responsible for - ensuring everyone contributes to the fun-filled, and hopefully sun-filled, break.”