Research Reveals Holidays are the Key to Happiness

MANCHESTER, England, March 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

A recent survey* claims to have answered the age old question - just what is the key to happiness? With results revealing that holidays rank highest on the agenda when it comes to what makes us the happiest.

As the globe celebrates 'International Day of Happiness' on Friday 20^th March, leading independent travel firm Travel Counsellors conducted a survey to gain further insight into just what makes us happy, and how the British public rate their holiday happiness. The poll revealed a whopping 83% felt that a holiday would make them the happiest, with buying a new home second at 12%, and just 4% saying a work promotion would be top of their happy list.

Further to this 98% of those asked said a holiday was important to their overall happiness, highlighting how many feel it is essential to factor a holiday into their lives to keep them content. People were also asked what makes them the happiest about going on holiday, with the most popular response being the time to de-stress and relax (39%), followed by spending time with family and friends (29%), experiencing new cultures (20%) and surprisingly the weather coming in last as a factor at just 12%.

"The survey results really highlight how people value their holidays, with many willing to sacrifice other things before their annual holiday," comment Travel Counsellors Managing Director Steve Byrne. "Holidays clearly have a huge impact on our overall wellbeing and happiness, as we are able to escape the pressures and stresses of everyday life and spend quality time with the important people in our lives. So much so that people don't even seem to place high importance on the weather! It's great to be in an industry that makes people happy and our agents all love adding the personal touches to their customers' holidays to make them extra special."

Notably when asked what they value most in the holiday booking process, a significant 69% of respondents stated that booking with someone they can trust was the most important factor in making their holiday a happy one. Second on the list of priorities is expert advice, with price ranking third.

Steve adds: "Customers want to book their travel plans with someone they can trust, who can find the right holiday to suit their individual needs, can offer them reliable first-hand advice and who can be there for them through the whole holiday experience. Our Travel Counsellors build relationships with their customers and are available to them around the clock. That is why we have one of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the world, and lots of happy customers!"

*Survey completed by 350 UK consumers in March 2015

About Travel Counsellors: Travel Counsellors is a leading independent travel company - delivering a personal, bespoke travel service since 1994. It has the highest Customer Satisfaction score of any travel company in the world (NPS), posting a turnover of £428 million (Oct 31 2014). Travel Counsellors has over 1,300 travel franchisees, supported by over 250 staff across its UK headquarters in Bolton, and 7 overseas offices (Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Australia, Canada and Dubai). Winners of the Queen's Award for International Trade (2014), Queen's Award for Enterprise (2003-2008), Guardian Travel Agent of the Year (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010). Listed in Sunday Times International Fast Track for International Growth (2011, 2012) and Telegraph's Britain's 1000 Brightest Businesses

For further information contact:

Victoria Fox / Aimee Loughney in the press office
Tel: +44(0)1204-536 030
E-mail: victoria.fox@travelcounsellors.com
aimee.loughney@travelcounsellors.com