A new report has been released by Travelex exploring how technology is impacting our holidays.
Research of 2,000 holidaymakers has revealed Brits are using technology to save hundreds of pounds when booking a break away and using digital tools to make their holiday more authentic.
Accommodation and flight apps were singled out for their money-saving potential, with Brits saving an average of £320 per holiday thanks to online comparison sites and holiday apps.
City-breakers save the most by using online booking tools to plan their trip, cutting the cost of their holiday by almost a third (30%). Accommodation booking apps such as Airbnb are also cutting the cost, along with spa breaks discounted on sales platforms such as Groupon and Living Social.
As well as helping holidaymakers to save money, apps are also helping travellers to have a more authentic experience of the destinations they are visiting.
Exploring apps, which help visitors to plan excursions and nights out, were cited as among the most popular with four in ten Brits now use TripAdvisor on holiday before booking a local restaurant or excursion.
Brits are also expected to use apps to keep in touch with others in 2016, with Gmail, Skype and WhatsApp among the most popular.
Demand from Brits for convenience and transparency led Travelex to develop Supercard, which launched as a pilot in May 2015.
The Supercard, with accompanying iOS/Android app, is the first and only card in history that enables consumers to use their own debit and credit cards (except for American Express cards) abroad and avoid bank roaming fees.
Adam Warburton from Travelex comments, “Advances in mobile payments technology mean that smartphones are becoming an increasingly important part of spending and managing money abroad.
The Travelex Money App means holidaymakers can keep up-to-date with exchange rates and make informed decisions on how much to budget, based on research around what their contemporaries have spent. The app has been downloaded over 44,000 times since launch, with the popularity set to grow as further developments are made in 2016.”
The research on travel technology trends also found Brits are unable to switch off when on holiday, spending an average of two hours a day on devices.
Bragging about our holiday experience on social media is one of the main reasons for spending time online abroad, with 35% of Brits regularly using Facebook and 14% using Instagram whilst on holiday.
One in seven Brits revealed that they have used a Smartphone or tablet device to do work on holiday – showing technology has led to the line between business and leisure travel becoming blurred.
Free Wi-Fi and a fast internet connection are now ranked among the most important features of holiday accommodation, over and above the likes of access to a gym, spa facilities and a laundry service.
A fifth of those aged between 18 and 34 had gone over their data allowance, despite over a tenth (12%) of people now adding a data bundle to their phone contract before heading away.
Eight out of ten (82%) Brits will take a Smartphone on holiday with them next year – more than double the number five years ago.
