A new travel calculator allows users to determine the percentage of the world they have visited by selecting countries they have been to. The tool also calculates the number of continents covered and compares statistics with other travellers, displaying a footprint on the planet.
A survey of 2,000 travellers by travel insurance specialist Staysure found that 43% enjoy comparing their number of destinations with others. Reasons include impressing others with worldliness and sense of adventure, or being seen as wealthy. Among those who mention their country count, 44% bring it up in general holiday conversation, while 38% name a country they've visited when someone else mentions one.
The research revealed that 34% of travellers view their list of visited countries as a 'badge of honour', and a fifth feel 'quietly superior' to those who have visited fewer nations. One in ten attempt to appear more widely travelled by including countries visited during childhood, and some count airport stopovers or day trips as full visits. However, four in ten find others boasting about travels 'annoying'.
New Zealand (24%), Japan (23%), and Australia (18%) topped wish lists, with Canada nearly twice as popular as the United States (17% versus 8%). The typical holidaymaker has visited seven nations by age 30, nearly doubling to 15 by age 60. Despite this, 56% wished they had travelled more extensively. Travel peaked at age 34 on average, and 44% said trips abroad have decreased with age.
Four in ten consider it important that their country list keeps growing, with a goal of visiting 30 countries. To achieve this, 56% would consider a multi-destination holiday like a cruise. A Staysure spokesperson commented: 'Our customers often share where they've been and where they're planning to go next. It's good to know people are dreaming big and want to keep ticking off their dream destinations.'
