According to Lonely Planet author David Else, Britons find recounting exciting experiences from travel abroad has become tied in with social status.
Cheap travel has opened up a literal world of possibilities for travellers on all budgets. As a result the simple act of travelling overseas is not enough to score points amongst friends and colleagues when it comes to recounting stories of overseas experiences. A recent survey from easyCar found that 15 per cent of Britons have lied about travel experiences, while nearly 50 per cent of those surveyed had counted airport stopovers as a proper visit to a foreign country.
David Else, author at Lonely Planet, said: "It's all to do with status and one-upmanship; people will say they stayed in luxury resorts or fashionable locations, such as the Maldives and Seychelles."
Young people travelling to far-flung corners of the world on gap year visits, and also more mature individuals taking a career break, has meant that experiences of overseas cultures are far more regular.
Australia and New Zealand are two of the most popular destinations, with travellers drawn by the raw natural beauty on offer, as well as tourism sectors specifically oriented towards the backpacking market.
Gap year travellers are advised to look into gap-year travel insurance in preparation for trips overseas.
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