Posting the perfect Instagram pic on holiday is more important to young adults than drunken debauchery, reveals research released today (Wednesday 24 October) by WTM London.
The survey of 2,000 British holidaymakers by WTM London found just 9% of millennials want to get drunk on holiday.
Instead, Instagram matters more now, with a whopping 78% of those aged 25 to 34 seeking to spur social media envy by posting on the photo-sharing app – closely followed by those in the 18 to 24 age group, where 63% say they search for social status shots rather than shots of sambuca.
More than two thirds (38%) of those aged 25 to 34 say they post online more than once a day while they are on holiday, with a similar proportion (37%) of those aged 18 to 24 posting once a day.
It reflects a seismic shift in attitudes, say travel experts at WTM London, which takes place next month (5-7 November).
The research findings come just three days before the last ever Club 18-30 customers head overseas for their final hedonistic holiday, flying from Manchester to the clubbing mecca of Magaluf on 27th October.
At its peak, Club 18-30 spearheaded the drinking-and-debauchery holiday scene, taking 110,000 young people a year to the continent for Tequila shots, all-night clubbing and late-night trysts with strangers.
Owner Thomas Cook said it is axing the youth travel brand as its holidays are not ‘Instagrammable’.
The closure of Club 18-30 reflects the wider trend of young Brits snubbing alcohol. A third of those aged 16 to 24 now do not drink, compared to one fifth in 2015, according to Health Survey for England.
Binge drinking rates have also plunged from 27% in 2005 to 18%.
WTM London’s Paul Nelson, said: “It’s a sobering thought for the older generation of holidaymakers that their drunken antics are just not regarded as cool by younger travellers.
“It would appear that millennials, ‘Generation Sensible’ or ‘sober socialites’ – whatever you want to call them – are more health-conscious and mindful of their image when on holiday, and eager to share their photographs instead of handling a hangover.
“The travel industry is tapping into this trend because Instagram has an estimated one billion users, so it’s a very influential platform.
“Budget airline easyJet last week unveiled a Look&Book app feature that allows passengers to instantly book flights using just a photo – without the user needing to know the destination.
“You can browse Instagram, take screen-grabs of inspiring photos and then share with, or upload to, the budget airline’s app.
“Also, our research echoes the findings of a Club Med poll which found that two thirds of millennials pick holiday destinations based on what they see on Instagram and other social media channels.
“However, while hangovers are no longer a hazard, it would seem there are dangers for those on the pistes – apparently 88% of smartphone users logged into their social media accounts during their last ski or snowboard holiday, and of those, almost half (46%) admitted that they had wiped out on the slopes after looking at social media.”
