Long Haul for Happiness, Reveals Skyscanner

EDINBURGH, Scotland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over 1000 people were polled in a holiday happiness survey conducted by cheap flights comparison site Skyscanner.

“Booking ahead provides two very important positives; something to look forward to and something to tell other people about. Telling other people about nice things you are going to do is a crucial part of boosting self-esteem and achieving social status.”

Further = happier

The UK scored the lowest in the happiness ranking while long haul destinations took the top four spots. The countries ranked in order of happiness were:

					1.			Australia
					2.			Canada
					3.			S Africa
					4.			India
					5.			France
					6.			Thailand
					7.			USA
					8.			Italy
					9.			Portugal
					10.			Greece
					11.			Spain
					12.			Turkey
					13.			Germany
					14.			UK

Psychologist Cliff Arnall, speaking on behalf of Skyscanner, explained:

“Short haul trips to Europe are now relatively common, while long haul holidays have greater impact because they are longer in duration and are seen as more special than simply catching flights to Spain.”

Money can buy happiness

Contrary to popular belief, the survey found money can in fact buy happiness; those who had spent more than £3000 per person on their holiday were the most happy.

Shared decisions

A sense of sharing is important, with the happiest people making a joint contribution in planning/paying.

“Holiday planning, especially when done jointly, is a very satisfying activity. As long as all concerned feel they are making a contribution then planning is enjoyable and makes people feel emotionally closer to each other,” says Arnall.

The importance of companions

The choice of travel companion is significant; those who had holidayed with friends or made new friends were happiest.

Great expectations?

The survey found that those who had planned a long time in advance were happiest. Arnall explains:

“Booking ahead provides two very important positives; something to look forward to and something to tell other people about. Telling other people about nice things you are going to do is a crucial part of boosting self-esteem and achieving social status.”

The Holiday Happiness Formula

Although there is no exact science to travel, using the survey’s findings, Skyscanner has devised a psychological formula for a happy holiday:

H = (I x P) + M + A + W + R + (D - d)

H - Holiday happiness: the level of contentment.

I - Interpersonal connections: getting on with the people you are travelling with and meeting new people.

P - Planning: researching the destination and travel arrangements.

M - Motivation: visiting a destination you always wanted to go to.

A - Accommodation: includes the comfort, cleanliness and location.

W - Weather: the predictability of the weather decreases psychological stress and increases relaxation.

R - Reflection: taking the time to appreciate the new things you are experiencing.

D - Distance: destinations further away from the UK correlated with greater holiday satisfaction.

d - Delays: the longer the delay the higher the stress and unhappiness.

About Skyscanner:

Skyscanner compares flight prices for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines, including flights to New York, as well as car hire, hotel and holiday price comparison.

Keywords: Skyscanner, cheap flights, flights to Spain, flights to New York

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