So Long Book and sun Lounger ... it's Facebook that Britons use to Relax on Holiday

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Jul 18, 2011, 05:00 ET

LONDON, July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

The notion of how we relax on holiday is changing, according to a survey by Cox & Kings, the luxury touring and tailor-made holidays specialist, who asked what technology Britons use on holiday, if any.

The traditional holiday image is relaxing on a sun lounger with a cocktail and good book in hand. However, our everyday dependency on technology is creeping into our time off, with 73% of UK holidaymakers relaxing by using some form of technology while on holiday. Only 27% of us remain completely technology-free during our time off.

However, it's not work emails Britons are sneaking a peek at. While 6% do still engage with some form of work when away, more than 30% of holidaymakers are opting to kick back on the sun lounger by logging into Facebook and Twitter, showcasing just how routine the use of social media has become.

More women relax on holiday through social media channels, while men unwind by checking the news online. However, nearly 30% of men still maintain the more traditional tech-free holiday image, compared to only 26% of women.

The younger end of holidaymakers, 34 and younger, use the most technology, with 78% relying on gadgets to help them relax. Regardless of silver surfers becoming more tech-savvy and increasingly logging into social media, half of over 55-year-olds still opt for the more old-fashioned way of relaxing on holiday.

"With current technology providing access to so many different media through one device, including phone, music, films, books, email and web, for many people these days their hand-held devices are an intrinsic part of relaxing on their holidays," said Philip Hamilton-Grierson, Marketing Director at Cox & Kings. "As our clients adapt to the emergence of new technologies, Cox & Kings is adapting too, through the likes of Facebook and Twitter and we are already starting to get instant updates and images sent to us from clients abroad through these new mediums, which is very exciting."

Cox & Kings offers a range of luxury tours and private tailor-made travel to worldwide destinations.

Notes to editors:

Survey conducted by OnePoll

About Cox & Kings

Cox & Kings is the world's longest established travel company. Its history stretches back more than 250 years to 1758 when Richard Cox was appointed regimental agent to the Footguards (later the Grenadier Guards). The company's fortunes grew hand in hand with the British empire and by the early 20th century the company was acting as agent and banker throughout the armed forces and as a shipping agent. In 1922, Cox & Co merged with the Henry S King bank, which had strong connections with India. The bank became part of Lloyds and the shipping agency grew separately, evolving into the modern travel company.

Today, built on the high quality service and attention to detail established by Richard Cox in the 18th century, the company continues to flourish as an independent tour operator, with operations in London, the US, Japan, Australia and throughout India. Cox & Kings organises escorted small-group tours and private tailor-made travel in the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, the Middle East, the Far East, Africa, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, and the Caribbean.