Hopefully, this is more than just a travel trend. Movies and TV shows are fueling inspiration among today’s American traveler, according to Travelzoo’s Global Winter Travel Trends Survey, which found that 65% of world-wide respondents and 69% of Americans have visited a landmark because they saw it in a movie or TV show (that’s how it all started for me with Under the Tuscan Sun.
The survey also uncovered the following about Americans:
58% hear about the landmarks they have visited/would like to visit through TV/movies
47% get inspiration to visit off-the-beaten-track destinations and landmarks from movies, documentaries, and TV shows
52% strongly agree visiting a country’s landmark gives them a better understanding of the country’s culture
34% prefer man-made attractions over natural wonders
90% prefer to visit off-the-beaten-path landmarks
68% prefer to see landmarks or sights with someone else so that they can reminisce years later
35% say they would choose to visit a landmark or sight in order to take a selfie for social media
Chinese (91%) and Spanish (86%) travelers were the most likely to be inspired to visit somewhere they had seen on TV or in a movie, with UK respondents (39%) the least likely to do this. Younger travelers (at 69%) are most likely to visit landmarks they see on the small or silver screen, a sign of how much screen time influences the younger generations. However, there’s still no substitute for word of mouth, which was the leading source of travel inspiration across all respondents, particularly among Canadians, at 58%. The least influenced by word of mouth were the Japanese, of whom just under a third use TV and movies as an inspiration source.
About the Travelzoo Winter Travel Trends Survey
*Travelzoo Travel Trends Surveys are conducted four times a year, in spring, summer, fall, and winter. The Travelzoo Winter Travel Trends Survey was completed by 9,000 people across Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the USA, who responded to an online questionnaire used by research agency OnePoll in December 2019.
I found this entire survey interesting, except for this part, ‘35% say they would choose to visit a landmark or sight in order to take a selfie for social media.’ I hope this number comes down or that there’s an explanation that it’s not the only reason you’re going. It’s okay to take a photo for social media, but PLEASE enjoy what you’re seeing before you take the photo. Put the camera down and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of what you traveled to see. Then take that photo. You’ll remember it more than just taking a photo and leaving.
My Take
I found this entire survey interesting, except for this part, ‘35% say they would choose to visit a landmark or sight in order to take a selfie for social media.’ I hope this number comes down or that there’s an explanation that it’s not the only reason you’re going. It’s okay to take a photo for social media, but PLEASE enjoy what you’re seeing before you take the photo. Put the camera down and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of what you traveled to see. Then take that photo. You’ll remember it more than just taking a photo and leaving.
What do you think? Has a movie or television show inspired you?
