New research by KAYAK has found that Brits are far too often easily swayed by the opinions of others when it comes to planning their life and travels. KAYAK’s World of Opinions 2023 found 69% of UK adults are letting the opinions of friends, family and others guide their vacation choices, while nearly a quarter have scrapped a holiday plan after being influenced by the opinions of others.
The majority of Brits say their opinion of a trip has differed from the recommendation they received.
KAYAK has launched ‘ Go See for Yourself ’, which aims to empower travellers to trust their own instincts by exploring the world first hand. KAYAK teamed up with comedian Maisie Adam to help encourage others to break free from the influence quandary.
Maisie said: “I’m not really one to follow the crowd and I’ve always prided myself on doing what makes me happy, but even I’ll admit I’ve often asked for holiday recommendations, and I do question what some claim to be a “perfect holiday” because the advice I’ve been given doesn’t exactly always live up to reality! So I would say instead, steer clear of what others tell you to do and go see for yourself. You’ll probably have a much better holiday for it!”
Evan Day, KAYAK UK Country Manager, said: “At KAYAK we know visiting new places first-hand empowers people to grow and develop as individuals. And that’s not just our opinion. Our research tells us the majority of people believe travelling increases their own curiosity and gives them a new perspective on life. But it seems we have a blind-spot when it comes to decision-making, and as a result, a growing number of travellers are forfeiting personal views and genuine experiences in favour of popular opinion.
"That’s not to say suggestions from others can’t serve as a useful starting point for travel planning, but at the end of the day, it’s down to each individual’s unique wants and needs. By providing comprehensive travel tools and resources, we’re on a mission at KAYAK to not tell people where to go, but to help you find the destinations that are right for you.”