Majority of Americans Say They Would Vacation Without Staying Connected

Hotels.com Disconnect to Reconnect survey reveals Asian countries are most attached to mobile devices while traveling

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Aug 12, 2014, 11:01 ET

DALLAS, Aug. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A new global survey from Hotels.com® found that only 35 percent of American travelers are unwilling to ditch their devices while on vacation. Travelers from Thailand were found to be the least prepared to give up their mobile technology, with a staggering 85 percent of Thai travelers saying they'd be unwilling to do so.

A new global survey from Hotels.com(R) found that only 35 percent of American travelers are unwilling to ditch their devices while on vacation. (PRNewsFoto/Hotels.com)

The Disconnect to Reconnect survey examined digital vacationing habits across 28 countries worldwide, identifying the countries that find it most difficult to achieve work-life balance and switch off when on vacation. Asian countries led the way in terms of countries most attached to their devices, with Korea taking second place (78 percent), followed by Japan (69 percent), China (67 percent) and Singapore (60 percent).

"Going away on vacation should be a time to unwind, whether you're lying on a beach in Cancun or snowboarding down a mountain in Vail," says Taylor L. Cole, APR, travel expert at Hotels.com. "While smartphones are useful for checking the weather or viewing maps, travelers would benefit from switching off their e-mails to disconnect and restore a little more of the all-important work-life balance."

On the other end of the spectrum is India with a mere 20 percent of participants saying they would be unable to abandon their mobile devices or laptops, followed by Argentina at 22 percent. Elsewhere in North America, only 27 percent of Canadians and 28 percent of Mexican travelers said they'd be unwilling to do so.

When it comes to American travel habits, two-thirds of Americans (66 percent) say they spend at least some time using social media while on vacation, with 28 percent saying they spend an hour or more each day. A majority of Americans also admit to spending some time checking or responding to work email while on vacation (56 percent), but most say they spend less than an hour a day (36 percent), while 44 percent say they spend no time at all. Overall, most U.S. travelers (72 percent) return home with no regrets about spending time on their mobile devices.

Countries least willing to ditch their devices while on vacation

Rank	Country	% Votes	Rank	Country	% Votes
1	Thailand	85%	=15	Germany	36%
2	Korea	78%	=15	UK	36%
3	Japan	69%	17	U.S.	35%
4	China	67%	18	Colombia	33%
5	Singapore	60%	19	New Zealand	30%
=6	Taiwan	53%	=20	Denmark	29%
=6	Norway	53%	=20	Australia	29%
8	Brazil	52%	=20	Netherlands	29%
9	Ireland	51%	23	Mexico	28%
10	Finland	50%	24	Canada	27%
11	Hong Kong	46%	=25	Sweden	23%
=12	France	40%	=25	Spain	23%
=12	Russia	40%	27	Argentina	22%
14	Italy	39%	28	India	20%

The Hotels.com study also revealed the top 10 most important travel items for Americans. Smartphones were the most important travel item after passports, while travel insurance was the least important of all.

Top ten most important travel items for Americans:

Rank	Travel Item
1	Passport
2	Smartphone
3	Sunscreen
4	Swimwear
5	Sunglasses
6	Deodorant
7	Razor
8	Travel guide
9	Gym kit
10	Travel insurance

When it comes to bragging rights and which countries are most likely to exaggerate their vacation experiences, China comes in on top with 67 percent of respondents likely to lie to friends and family when returning home. Germany is close behind in second place with 64 percent, and Korea is third place with just under half (48 percent) admitting they would embellish a travel story to impress others. Travelers from the U.S. are less likely to exaggerate their experiences (24 percent).

Countries most likely to exaggerate their vacation experience

Rank	Country	% Votes	Rank	Country	% Votes
1	China	67%	=15	Finland	29%
2	Germany	64%	=15	Colombia	29%
3	Korea	48%	17	Norway	28%
4	Spain	47%	18	France	25%
5	Thailand	46%	=19	U.S.	24%
6	Taiwan	44%	=19	Italy	24%
7	India	40%	=21	New Zealand	20%
8	Russia	37%	=21	Canada	20%
=9	Netherlands	36%	=23	Australia	19%
=9	Japan	36%	=23	Denmark	19%
11	Singapore	35%	25	Sweden	14%
12	Ireland	34%	26	Argentina	12%
13	UK	31%	27	Hong Kong	9%
14	Brazil	30%	28	Mexico	8%

If you're not on vacation, use your device to share your travel technology habits with Hotels.com on Twitter at @hotelsdotcom using #mytraveltech.

About Hotels.com (http://www.hotels.com)

Hotels.com, LP. is a leading online accommodation booking website with more than 325,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals.

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Press contacts:

Pat Burek	Taylor L. Cole, APR
Finn Partners for Hotels.com	Hotels.com North America
Phone: (212) 715-1542	Phone: (469) 335-8442
Email: [email protected]	Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @FinnPartners	Twitter: @TravelwithTLC