80% of People Lose, Forget or Have Something Stolen When They go on Holiday
Summer is upon us and for many itās the best time of the year ā temperatures soar, the evenings are lighter, and across the nation spirits are high. Many people go on holiday during the summer months too, and there is nothing more exciting than counting down the days until you get to jet off for a relaxing and fun-filled trip away.
Everyone looks forward to going on holiday and itās easy to start packing everything but the kitchen sink, but our new survey has found that many people actually come home with a lighter suitcase than the one they left with. 80% of people actually lose, forget or have something stolen when they go on holiday, and only 40% of people get their items back.
From the survey, we found that Spain was the destination in which holidaymakers most commonly lost their belongings, followed closely by those who enjoyed a āstaycationā in Britain. Sunglasses were the item most likely to be lost, stolen or forgotten, but cameras, clothing, and purses were also common items that disappeared while on holiday.
Going on holidays is a luxury for most people, and itās not unusual to save up for months in order to afford the holiday of your dreams, so we were surprised to find out that nearly a fifth of people had lost something on holiday that was worth Ā£100 or more. On average, people in the UK lose Ā£55 worth of personal belongings per holiday, and as the average number of holidays taken per person each year is 3.2, each person loses an average of Ā£176 worth of items each year. Thatās a whopping Ā£1,760 in a ten-year period, easily enough to cover another holiday or two.
Speaking of finances, we all know how important it is to get travel insurance when going away ā you never know when you might fall ill, find your flight has been cancelled, or lose your luggage at the airport, so itās always good to have a strong insurance policy to fall back on. Interestingly though, of those people who said they had lost, forgotten or had an item stolen while they were away, over half of them didnāt claim, even though they did have travel insurance.
When it comes to men and women, both seemed to lose a similar number of things on holiday, but what they lost was quite different. While women were most likely to lose their sunglasses and men were most likely to lose their camera, one of the more ārevealingā stats that came out of our data was that men were nearly twice as likely to lose their underwear on holiday than women ā that means around 12 guys on the plane home with you may be going commando!
So how do regions in the UK differ when it comes to losing things on holiday? Residents of Scotland were more likely than anywhere else to lose jewellery on holiday, but not one Scot reported having lost their debit or credit card. Those living in the South West were more likely to lose their clothing than any other belongings when they were away, but were the least likely place to lose their sunglasses ā quite the interesting outfit to come home in.
Losing things is never fun, so here are some tips to keep you and your belongings safe next time you go on holiday:
- Keep your small valuables close to you ā the best way to do this is to use a money belt. They can be worn underneath clothing and will keep your money, cards, jewellery and other small valuables as close to you as possible at all times.
- Use the safe in your hotel ā the majority of hotel rooms will have some form of locker or safe, and these are perfect for protecting larger items such as passports, mobile phones, cameras, and wallets. They are easy to use, just make sure you lock the safe using a code you can remember.
- Use safety straps to avoid dropping things ā often items such as phones, cameras, and sunglasses get lost when they are dropped without the owner realising. Using a strap around your wrist for your camera and a lanyard or neck cord for your sunglasses should ensure your belongings never go far, even if you do drop them.
- Label some of your belongings ā if you lose something, how is anyone going to get it back to you if they donāt know who or where you are? Label your luggage and larger electrical devices like cameras and laptops, and make sure you are traceable should someone find your mobile or bank cards.
- Do a thorough final check before you leave ā especially if you are on a multi centre holiday and staying in a few different hotels. Itās so easy to leave something plugged into the wall or tucked inside a drawer, so before you leave your accommodation to come home, make sure you do a final sweep of your room and check you havenāt left anything behind.
With so many people losing things on holiday, and only half of them getting them back, itās important to make sure that next time you go away you keep your valuables safe and donāt leave your personal belongings lost and living it up on holiday without you!
Now that you are ready and prepared for travel, book one of our multi centre journeys or a holiday tailor-made for you.
Why choose eShores?
One to One Service
Our experienced personal travel consultants will ensure you find the most suitable holiday, whilst taking care of every last detail. Everything from start to finish will be effortless.
100% Tailor Made
We can use any hotel, in any destination, so we will craft an itinerary to suit your exact needs. Also, as we can provide any itinerary, the only holiday we'll offer, is the one that's right for you.
Fully Protected
Our ATOL bonding provides you with the financial protection you need and as a member of the Travel Trust Association, you'll have 100% financial protection. Covering you for any eventuality.
Competitive Pricing
As a tour operator & travel agent, we'll search the market to ensure that we find you the best price. Also as an online business, we can ensure our prices are as competitive as possible.
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Duncan
Give you exactly what you ask for!
Posted 1 day ago -
Allan
Michelle, what a star !! The first I have dealt with eShores and what a delight. Exceptional knowledge of our destination resorts, airlines and hotels. I cannot speak highly enough of such a professional setup.
Posted 1 week ago -
Anonymous
4th time using eshores and they always deliver, understanding what we're looking for and finding solutions to any difficulties
Posted 1 week ago -
Karen
I am very happy with the booking of our holiday. Kadie discussed with me our requirements - our preference for an airport and what sort of accommodation we would like and as far as I can tell she has followed it to the letter. We look forward to our trip in September
Posted 1 week ago -
Angela
Excellent Service once again from Dave at Eshores. His patience with me swopping and changing goes above and beyond. I always book with Eshores to the far east and have done several times and had Excellent holidays everytime at Excellent prices. I wouldn't book with anyone else but Dave at Eshores
Posted 2 weeks ago -
Elizabeth
Hannah and the team did an excellent job of organising our holiday in Italy, even informing us about a train strike while we there and booking us on to a coach instead. They gave us helpful directions from the airport to the hotel. The accommodation was very good with spacious rooms, delicious breakfasts and helpful receptionists giving us directions to the city centres. All in all we had a brilliant time.
Posted 2 weeks ago -
Lynwen
My travel consultant (Rachel) was so patient and understanding of my requirements and concerns. Nothing was too much trouble for her so we have our ideal package. Her knowledge of the country and local contacts were also extremely helpful. Thank you Rachel š
Posted 2 weeks ago -
CarolLynne
Michelle has been really helpful planning our trip to Australia and New Zealand . Her knowledge and advice invaluable. Iām amazed how quickly she Booked our routes and accommodation too. Feel confident we can rely on her for any further queries etc
Posted 2 weeks ago -
Andrew
Recently returned from a 17 day trip from Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam. All 7 flights and transfers were planned and executed seamlessly. The support in choosing our hotels and locations was excellent. Have just booked with EShores again for Thailand. Chris was excellent throughout
Posted 2 weeks ago -
Anonymous
Emily was a pleasure to deal with to book our holiday - friendly, efficient, called when she said she would, changed the itinerary to suit, and even gave us some helpful tips of things to do and book in advance. 10/10 so far for sure.
Posted 2 weeks ago