For many, a holiday is a precious escape from daily pressures, yet the dream getaway can be swiftly undone by the inconsiderate actions of fellow travellers. A comprehensive new study has pinpointed the specific behaviours that irritate globetrotters the most, revealing a global consensus on travel etiquette fails.
The Global List of Holiday Grievances
Research commissioned by mobile data company Saily polled nearly 7,000 adult travellers aged 18 to 74 from seven nations, including the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, and Japan. Participants were questioned across three key areas: their own annoying habits, behaviours from others they find intolerable, and their likelihood of confronting another passenger.
The findings were stark. Over half of all respondents (54 per cent) agreed that leaving rubbish on the beach is the most awful tourist behaviour. Close behind, 47 per cent identified people who argue loudly in public as a major nuisance.
Nearly half (46 per cent) admitted to being easily annoyed by tourists who take phone and video calls on speakerphone in shared spaces. The top ten list of irritating conduct from others also included:
- Coughing and sneezing without covering the mouth.
- Talking at full volume.
- Reclining seats too far on transport.
- Taking up extra seats with personal belongings.
- Eating smelly food in confined spaces like planes or trains.
Confessions of the Travellers Themselves
In a revealing twist, the survey also catalogued the annoying habits people own up to. Almost half (46 per cent) confessed they regularly talk to strangers on flights, making them the worst self-reported offenders.
In second place, nearly a third (29 per cent) admitted to removing their shoes on planes and other transport. Other common self-confessed travel sins included only speaking one's own language abroad (28%), spending more time on phones than enjoying surroundings (27%), overeating at all-you-can-eat buffets (26%), and even urinating in the sea, lake, or ocean (22%).
Further plane-based confessions encompassed standing up immediately after landing, clapping when the plane lands, hogging both armrests from an aisle or window seat, and reclining seats too far.
Where Does the UK Stand?
While the UK prides itself on manners, the study suggests some Brits leave their etiquette at home. The data shows they lead the world in one particular habit: 32 per cent of British travellers admit to taking off their shoes on planes, higher than the global average of 29%.
Vykintas Maknickas, CEO of Saily, which conducted the survey, offered a stark warning: 'Nobody wants to start a trip by becoming someone else's travel horror story.'
The research follows recent online debate sparked by a seasoned traveller, Pollyann (@travelwithpalma), who highlighted five passenger habits cabin crew reportedly find rude, reminding travellers that 'a little consideration goes a long way' in making the skies friendlier for all.
