New research from TUI has confirmed a long-standing suspicion that the Irish prioritise their home comforts while travelling. According to the study, 52 % of respondents admit to packing tea bags, and 34% bring along coffee on their holidays.
However, it’s not just beverages that find their way into Irish travellers’ bags. The survey reveals that 36 % can’t travel without their slippers, and 22 % insist on bringing their own pillow. Additionally, 12 % feel the need to have ketchup or sliced bread, and 11 % won’t leave the country without their favourite cereal!
More than half (57 %) confess to feeling homesick during their holidays, and 42 % pack various items simply because they prefer to have familiar comforts around them to create a homey atmosphere while away.
Despite Irish people being an organised bunch and packing as much as five days before the holiday starts, it’s no surprise that getting all our home comforts in our bags has resulted in packing being considered one of the most stressful parts of packing.
One in four (24 %) admit that they like to get their suitcases packed and sorted well in advance of their departure date, with nearly a quarter (23 %) always overpacking as they are trying to get as much as they can in, to be ‘on the safe side’!
“This research shows how much Irish travellers love their home comforts while on holidays,” says Craig Morgan, Head of Ireland for TUI. “That’s why we’re increasing our luggage allowance for TUI Airways to 20kg as standard, with an extra 5kg for guests staying at TUI BLUE, Holiday Village and A La Carte hotels. With all that extra weight to play around with guests will have plenty of room to take along loads of teabags, photos of their pets and even a loaf or two of bread.”
In fact, this passion for creature comforts has even resulted in one in ten (12 %) finding space for their hot water bottle and favourite blanket (11 %), as well as Cheddar cheese (10 %), their Kettle (8 %) and their favourite mug (7 %).
When it comes to the most stressful aspects of a holiday, 27 % admit to feeling stressed about fitting everything into their bags, while 21 % experience pressure when checking if their bag meets the weight requirements. Other stress-inducing factors include getting to the airport (25 %), airport security (33 %), sorting out insurance and currency (23 %), and waiting around at the airport (21 %).
More than half (58 %) confess to exceeding luggage allowances, with individuals in Ulster (69 %) and Leinster (62 %) being the biggest over-packers. About a third (32 %) willingly pay the additional cost, and 33 % share items from their bag with travel companions. Meanwhile, 16 % go to the extent of discarding items to reduce weight, and 35 % admit to wearing as many clothes as possible.