Brits Call Time on Unrealistic Holiday Pictures
Hotel brand appoints acclaimed documentary photographer to celebrate the real side of British travel
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LONDON - The aftermath of Sunshine Saturday’s* traditional holiday booking rush sees social media feeds flooded with unrealistic, over-filtered images of idyllic far flung destinations. However, as many Brits face their first week back at work, new research by hotel brand Hampton by Hilton reveals that 28 per cent find these unrealistic and picture-perfect travel images annoying, with holiday ‘hot dog’ legs topping the charts as the worst offender. More than one in twenty (six per cent) have even unfollowed someone because they were posting too many filtered images of exotic destinations in the winter.
The poll of 2,000 UK adults reveals over a quarter (29 per cent) yearn to see more every day, realistic depictions of travel with one in 10 (13 per cent) feeling bombarded with inauthentic and idealistic holiday images. While Brits have nothing against an exotic escape, these kinds of trips only make up around 10 per cent of the average person’s annual leave and the nation are almost twice as likely to be holidaying in London (21 per cent) than Spain in 2020 (11 per cent).
The Hampton by Hilton research revealed would-be travellers are more than seven times more likely to visit a destination after seeing authentic images, compared to pictures they deem to be overly filtered or stylised. In response to the nation’s plea, and to celebrate the real side of British travel, the hotel brand has appointed one of the UK’s leading documentary photographers, Ian Weldon, as its ‘Realist in Residence’.
Over three days in a busy hotel, Ian captured a series of candid photographs showcasing the warmth, fun and human connection of travellers who needed little more than a welcoming bar, comfy bed and hot breakfast to fuel their football match, birthday party or university reunion, in a series entitled ‘This is Real Travel’. From Morris dancers in full regalia getting to grips with a waffle maker, to football fans having a post-match pint and the flurry of girlfriends getting ready for a night out — the images capture genuine hotel guests in action and will be used in Hampton by Hilton marketing this January to celebrate the real travel moments that take place at its hotels.
Chloe Mugwangi, 23, is surprised by her larger than life family including her Dad, David, 50, before she heads off on her travels to Australia.
Sharon, 22, David, 50, Matthew, 47, Kuda, 22, Cameron , 22, and Chiedza, 17, all cram into one bedroom to surprise cousin, daughter and niece Chloe Mugwangi, 23, before she jets off on her travels to Australia.
Morris dancers Sylvia, 56, and Ruth, 66, bump into each other in the corridor for a good old chin wag.
Sylvia Bullen-Bell, 56, turns heads as she heads down for breakfast with her Morris dancing group, ‘Alive and Kicking’, ahead of a local performance.
A hotel guest prepares her breakfast ahead of a busy work day, whilst others eye up the buffet.
Sally from Linlithgow, gets to grips with the wonder of a waffle… much to the bafflement of Morris dancers, Gillian and Ruth.
Gift (centre) and her friends are a sales team visiting Edinburgh to attend a dietary supplement convention. They always meticulously document their work travels through through their social media channels.
David Mugwangi, 50, and his family were visiting Edinburgh for the first time with nothing pre-planned. His wife Trish, 51, attempts to decipher a local tourist map.
Diehard St Mirren supporter, Dave MacDonald, 47 from Glasgow, anxiously rallies the troops, whilst his family faffs, before heading to the match.
Diehard St Mirren supporter, Dave MacDonald, 47 from Glasgow, anxiously rallies the troops, whilst his family faffs, before heading to the match.
Is it celebrations or commiserations? Childhood best friends, Dave White, 46, and Dave MacDonald, 47, commiserate the result of a 5-2 thrashing, for their team St Mirren, back at the hotel bar.
University pals Lorna Campbell, Claire Eden and Debs Todd, all 27, get their glam on ahead of a night on the tiles in Edinburgh. Viva forever!
University pals Lorna Campbell, Leanne Etherington, Debs Todd, Becca Pratt, and Claire Eden, all 27, get their glam on ahead of a night on the tiles in Edinburgh. Viva forever!
Mary McCabe and her husband Vincent, from Ireland, 'enjoyed' some family time away in Edinburgh, but a weekend with a screaming grandson took its toll.
Young Harry, 8, sneaks a pre sit-down snack with a cheeky marshmallow as he makes a waffle with the help of his sister Caitlin, 12, and her best friend Emma, 11.
The truth is, far from social media’s impression of endless beach snaps, there is a growing trend for annual leave being used for ‘occasion’ travel, making up over a third (35 per cent) of Brits’ annual leave with trips including weddings, concerts, sporting events, family birthdays, shopping trips and stag and hen dos. It was these relatable ‘real travel’ moments that caught Ian Weldon’s attention as he documented the guests that came through the hotel doors during his stay. Despite booking an average of 23 nights away from home each year, only 25 per cent of annual leave is made up of holidays to beach destinations, and 17 per cent is spent on city breaks within the UK and Europe**.
Although USA, Italy and the Caribbean continue to top the bucket list of dream destinations for 2020, the research shows that, in reality, more Brits will be travelling to London, the Lake District and Edinburgh this year.
Top Dream Travel Destinations for 2020
- USA
- Italy
- Caribbean
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Barbados
- Japan
- Greece
- Canary Islands
- Spain
Most Realistic Travel Destinations for 2020
- London
- Lake District
- Edinburgh
- Manchester
- York
- Spain
- Liverpool
- Italy
- Cotswolds
- France
Ian Weldon comments, “This series is all about celebrating those heart-warming and often humorous connections that happen when we travel, and I hope it shines a light on the fun and friendliness that can be found in every single type of trip. This series brings to life the real side of travel by celebrating the connections that make travelling experiences so special but often don’t make the photo album.”
Tal Shefer, Regional Head, Hampton by Hilton EMEA comments, “With nearly 20 per cent of Brits admitting they would like to see people using no filters for travel photography in 2020, we couldn’t be happier to partner with Ian Weldon to launch our ‘This is Real Travel’ campaign. When it comes to trips, Hampton keeps it real. Whenever you stay with us, you can count on our hot breakfast, waffles and Wi-Fi to be included as standard, along with happiness guaranteed!”
To view the full ‘This is Real Travel’ series and for a look behind the scenes of the shoot visit here.
Hampton by Hilton serves quality-driven and value-conscious travellers at more than 2,500 properties in 29 countries and territories. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits.
*4th January, known as ‘Sunshine Saturday’, is the busiest day of the year for holiday bookings
**Annual leave is broken down as average of 23 days:
- Beach holidays UK, Europe + long-haul = 35 per cent
- City breaks Europe and UK = 17 per cent
- Family birthdays or get togethers = 8 per cent
- Work trips = 6 per cent
- Shopping trips = 7 per cent
- Trips to see show or concert = 6 per cent
- Football = 5 per cent
- Weddings = 5 per cent
- Stag/hen = 4 per cent
- Other = 7 per cent
About the Research
Research conducted by OnePoll between 06.12.19 and 10.12.19 with a poll of 2,000 adults aged 18 to 55.
Extra Stats
- 20 per cent have posted a picture on social media which made the trip look better than it was
- 18 per cent of adults believe some of the travel photos they see on social media are unattainable
About Ian Weldon’s Photography
Following the hugely successful ‘this is not a wedding’ series, the photographs commissioned by Hampton by Hilton shine a light on the realities of British travel and holidays. The ‘This is Real Travel’ series captured:
- Two lifelong best friends in their 50s, taking their families to see their local football team, St Mirren, play away at Edinburgh
- An extended family of 15 people celebrating a 50th birthday and one of their younger family members preparing to head off on an epic adventure and move to Australia
- A university reunion, seeing five female friends in their 20s visit Edinburgh for a 90s club night — all dressed up as the Spice Girls
- A troupe of Morris dancers, all retired, ready to perform in Edinburgh and enjoy the city
- An Irish couple and their grandson, visiting Edinburgh for a family weekend away
- Three women who were in Edinburgh for a sales conference
About Hampton by Hilton
As the No. 1 ranked lodging franchise for the last 12 years by Entrepreneur®, Hampton by Hilton — including Hampton Inn by Hilton and Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton — serves quality-driven and value-conscious travelers at more than 2,700 properties in 32 countries and territories around the globe. The brand continues to lead its segment by providing guests with high quality, thoughtfully designed accommodations and amenities, such as modern and spacious rooms, complimentary Wi-Fi and free breakfast. Hampton by Hilton is committed to delivering an exceptionally friendly and authentic service all backed by the 100% Hampton Guarantee™. Experience a positive stay at Hampton by Hilton by booking at hampton.com or through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Learn more about Hampton by Hilton at newsroom.hilton.com/hampton, and follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,700 properties and more than 1 million rooms, in 122 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2021 World’s Best Workplaces list, and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for five consecutive years. In 2020, Hilton CleanStay was introduced, bringing an industry-defining standard of cleanliness to hotels worldwide. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the nearly 123 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.