Lucknowites pick friends over family for holiday fun: Survey

LUCKNOW: A majority of Lucknowites -- as many as 97% -would prefer enjoying their vacations with friends than family, reveals a survey undertaken by a private company in the state capital. The study also mentions that nearly 50% respondents chose their close friends and work colleagues as ideal travel companions.

The survey, conducted among individuals in the age group 18-55 years, reveals a strong influence of friendship over the respondents’ vacation planning.

As many as 66% respondents said that taking a vacation was their way to create memorable moments and spend quality time with buddies. Not only that -- the findings showed that many respondents would let the choices of their friends take precedence over their own while planning their ‘buddycations’. Nearly 75% respondents said they had skipped a site or location to accommodate the preferences of friends, while 63% admitting to having let go of their preferred activity in favour of a friend’s.

Sanjeev Mantri, executive director, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd that undertook the survey said, “The study provides quantifiable proof of the growing influence that friendship holds over decision-making. For instance, three out of four respondents admitted that they had skipped a site/location because their friends wanted to go somewhere else. Decisions like these often create uncertainties.”

“Our survey findings indicate that while respondents are willing to face different uncertainties and adventures on the ‘buddycation’, they are hardly prepared. Only 36% Lucknowites admitted that they would ensure buying travel insurance before setting off on a vacation, while 35% said they would simply check with other friends who had travelled to that destination earlier,” he added.

The survey also shed light on how food helped friends bond better. The respondents said eating together signified a strong bond and 59% stated that they would only pick a dish on which the majority of friends agreed. As many as 53% said they would save food and accommodate their latecomer friends.

Mantri said the survey provided some eye-opening insights into the world of travellers and decoded some of their habits and behaviours that were, so far, unknown to service providers.

“The total number of respondents across India was 1,555, while in Lucknow, we surveyed 200 individuals,” he said.