Brits are more adventurous than American travellers
By Darren Cronian on Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

Interesting to read that Travelocity have learnt that us Brits are taking more multi-centre trips in the US primarily due to the weak dollar. Apparently Travelocity, have seen a 50% increase in Brits travelling to cities like New York, and then heading off to the sunshine in Las Vegas.

Brits are more adventurous on their travels than US travellers

I couldn’t help but think that this news was just a publicity stunt to increase awareness of the Travelocity brand over here but the weak dollar is one reason why online travel agencies are seeing this trend.

Personally, I think the reason for this increase is that British travellers for the past few years have become bored of beach holidays and want to spread their wings. Brits are much more adventurous travellers than travellers in the US.

I’d be interested to hear your opinions.


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14 responses to “Brits are more adventurous than American travellers”

Robyn | 21 May, 2008 at 9:38 pm

I agree. You also see Brits show up in the strangest little towns, places we used to visit in the days of the family car trip. Our gas prices are nothing to them so they road trip like crazy, and I bet the hugeness of the continent is exciting to someone who lives on an island. There were many Europeans signed into the guestbook at a little coffee shop I visited in Springfiled IL. Why go there?!

Darren Cronian | 21 May, 2008 at 9:45 pm

@ Robyn

I guess to sample life in less touristy area gives you a real perspective of what life is like in those places.

The gas prices help too, it’s shockingly expensive to travel by car around the UK, and it’s becoming the same around other European cities.

pam | 21 May, 2008 at 11:26 pm

Bah, humbug.

It might be true right now, today, with the dollar in the, um, bucket and the cost of flying and fuel, but I’ve met just as many Yanks on my travels as I’ve met Brits.

Plus, what’s adventurous about Vegas? Fake environments and a fleecing? New York? Are said adventurous Brits leaving Manhattan? Bah.

Anectodal, to be sure. I’d like to see some actual data.

Darren Cronian | 22 May, 2008 at 12:41 am

@ Pam

Personally, I couldn’t think of a worse place in the US to visit than Las Vegas. As for NY, would love to one day visit, but you won’t find this Brit staying in the same place ;)

As for more actual data - there wasn’t any which is why I thought it was more of a ploy to promote the brand (which I obviously have helped) rather than provide real data or evidence behind it.

Rohan | 22 May, 2008 at 12:51 am

Oh come on Las Vegas.

Brits are much classier than that.

Four years ago we spent four days in South Carolina playing golf, and then drove up to Washington for a few days sightseeing.

Darren Cronian | 22 May, 2008 at 1:08 am

@ Rohan

I’m with you other than the golf. Snore.
I am sure I have read though that other than Florida, and NY, Las Vegas is supposed to be the next most popular destinations for Brits.

Maybe a UK travel agent could confirm that for me?

Nomadic Matt | 22 May, 2008 at 1:45 am

No way! I agree with that many people are visiting the US because of the weak dollar but I wouldn’t call them adventurous. by going to Vegas. It’s not like Vegas is some sleepy little off the map place. I think Brits are just taking advantage of the cost.

I’d think you’d be much more adventurous if Brits were suddenly biking across the US. When I travel, I see lots of brits- getting drunk. The Americans I meet tend to be less obsessed with booze.

Gary | 22 May, 2008 at 1:55 am

I’d agree with the general statement that Brits are better travelers. I’ve seen overwhelming evidence of that in the last year on the road.

However, it is a bit apples and oranges. In the UK, you have one city which overwhelms all the other. London is the political, cultural, and economic center of the country. In the US, those are all spread out. Washington is the political hub. New York is the financial hub. LA is the media hub. San Francisco and Seattle are technology hubs. Las Vegas and Orlando are entertainment hubs.

There really isn’t a UK equivalent of many of those cities (Blackpool doesn’t count).

Darren Cronian | 22 May, 2008 at 10:48 am

@ Matt

The example I have of NY and Las Vegas, was from Travelocity, but like Robyn said, you’d see more Brits in usual destinations than you would Americans.

It could be because of the poor Dollar but I think over the years travellers here have been much more adventureous.

@ Gary

I’d disagree that London is the hub to everything in the UK, they are many other cultural places, etc but I’d agree that we don’t have those technology, and media hubs you may have in the US.

Garri | 22 May, 2008 at 1:37 pm

This is such as complex issue but sadly treated with a dumbed down tabloid mentality. I thought TR was smarter than that?

Easy to be adventurous when you can fill your boots with cheap dollars, and until recently cheap credit, eh? And, what’s so adventurous about visiting New York just to raid department stores for your cheap goods?

I’ve met far more Americans on my travels who have more cultural awareness than Brits. Fact!

Prague 1994: tons of young Americans in that city back then, estimated 50,000 of them living there (I always found that hard to believe but it was a popular stat you read at the time).
Quiet and respectful. Switch to post- millenium and the city is overrun with boozed up Brits chanting football songs and generally acting like yobs. (not all, I’m generalising in the spirit of this post, and I’m sure there were some rowdy young Americans back in 1994)

Cheap flights, cheap dollars, cheap booze, cheap sex… etc etc… makes us go mad.

We love cheap, us Brits ;-)

Darren Cronian | 22 May, 2008 at 1:47 pm

@ Garri

I do not think it’s a complex subject - it’s simple really, Brits book more multi-centre trips, American’s visit Paris, Rome or London for 1 or 2 weeks and stay in the same place - that’s not being adventureous.

As for the dumming down effect, people are leaving comments, and getting into the discussion, leaving their opinion, which is what a blog is all about, so maybe its not too dumb huh?

Garri | 22 May, 2008 at 1:59 pm

@ Darren

Fair point but as you can see from my post I got into the spirit of your blog ;-)

As for the stats, they come from who exactly? Travelocity! Perhaps if Americans could overdose on cheap sterling they’d be filling their boots with multi-centre trips.

There you go, I’ve gone and simplified it even further ;-)

Darren Cronian | 22 May, 2008 at 2:04 pm

@ Garri

Yup, the stats came from Travelocity, and like I mentioned I think the news article was aimed more at increasing brand awareness than actually providing any decent stats.

I just added my opinion on to the end of it.

As for the spirit of the blog, thanks for participating and you should come by more often and rant I mean erm comment ;)

Pete | 22 May, 2008 at 3:35 pm

In the last 2 years (i.e., since the dollar started its freefall), I’ve had a steady stream of friends come from the UK to visit me here in New York City. Nearly every one of them at one point or another squeeled “I can’t believe how cheap it is here” and snapped up more clothes than I buy in a year. There is a visible, marked increase in Europeans cramming shops on Broadway and elsewhere…it’s terrific and adds to the city’s flavor.

However, I think the general statement that Brits are more adventurous travelers is pretty far off the mark, but a great way to get a fun discussion going. But then again, maybe it’s just the adventuresome Brits in search of better food :)

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