Ask any couple to name one of their most treasured memories together and they’re likely to reminisce on a romantic holiday spent in each other’s company.
However, latest research from Flight Centre reveals that some couples don’t even get that far, with as many as 14 per cent breaking up over the holiday booking process.
A OnePoll study, conducted for Flight Centre, of 2,000 people in relationships, reveals that even if it doesn’t push you apart, nearly two thirds (60.2 per cent) of couples have fought or got stressed over organising a holiday. On average, 37 per cent of people in couples describe the holiday booking process negatively.
And, while only 4.5 per cent of couples currently search for help to alleviate this stress, 45 per cent of people in relationships admitted that they would rather have a third party organise their holiday for them to avoid these holiday-booking barnies, or even the dreaded break-up.
That’s why, this year, Flight Centre is playing cupid, recommending that couples wanting to save their relationship from the pre-holiday cool-off should add a third person … a trusted Travel Expert to mediate disagreements and book the perfect holiday to suit each couple.
Lucy Clifton, Flight Centre Head of Operations, said: “Couples’ escapes are for making precious memories, bringing them closer together. However, with so many stumbling blocks in the way of the perfect holiday, it’s easy to become bogged down by the details and let tempers escalate. We want to put the romance back into couples’ holidays, letting both partners speak with our expert consultants to plan their dream holiday and make the difficult decisions on their behalf.”
When it comes to couples’ arguments, deciding on when to travel and fly (24.1 per cent), budget (17.7 per cent) and destinations (15.8 per cent) proved to be the biggest causes of friction when couples book holidays together. On average, couples spend 105 minutes arguing per holiday booking session.
Even if the tiffs don’t put you off booking a holiday with your partner, 8.3 per cent of people surveyed said they argued while on holiday too thanks to poor planning and not booking extras and excursions in advance – easily fixed by the right travel agent.
And if you think it’s easier to leave booking a holiday to just one person, think again; 59 per cent of women would not trust their partner to book their holiday by themselves, with nearly one fifth (18.6 per cent) admitting that their partner doesn’t know them well enough to book a holiday they would enjoy. Men, on the other hand, seem to be a little more trusting, with 60 per cent having confidence in their partner to plan their holiday alone.
If equal decision-making is important in your relationship and you’d rather split the burden of booking your holiday in half, you’re not alone. One in 10 (10.3 per cent) people surveyed would rather divide the holiday into sections so that each partner gets equal amounts of the trip to plan.
The trend for shorter breaks may have been attributed in the past to hectic lifestyles, however, Flight Centre research claims that it could be down to couples unable to align their holiday desires. Almost one fifth (19 per cent) of couples say they are forced to book shorter breaks, as longer holidays take too much time, effort and stress on their relationship to organise.
“Flight Centre’s expert travel agents are the perfect solution to alleviate tension and put the fun back into booking,” Lucy Clifton said. “Couples can choose to speak to their agent individually or together and their dedicated agent will take the time to ensure you get a trip suited to both your desires.
“A Flight Centre Travel Expert isn’t just for Valentine’s Day, however. Our customers build genuine, lasting relationships with our consultants, as evidenced by our Trustpilot score of 9.7 out of 10. This is driven by 17,000 five star reviews and customers often make the point of praising our consultants by name”.
“And when it comes to long-distance relationships, Nathalie Adams from Flight Centre’s Clapham Northcote Road store wins hands down. As one of our most experienced consultants she is still taking care of customers who started booking with her over 13 years ago”.
