People dish on biggest secrets and regrets in travel survey
Making memories is an integral part of traveling, but it turns out that regret is often attached to these vacation memories.
This September, PlayUSA — an online news organization focused on the legal gambling industry — surveyed just over a thousand people between the ages of 21 to 93 about their vacation experiences. The respondents, whose average age was 39, shared their regrets and secrets from their vacations, especially those spent in Las Vegas.
The survey yielded interesting results, showcasing some of the craziest vacation experiences people have had. Getting drunk, pulling all-nighters, and losing money are at the top of the list. In fact, 52 percent of respondents said they have gotten drunk on vacation, which may have contributed to some other experiences listed, including breaking the law and sleeping with strangers.
In Las Vegas, in particular, wild experiences are aplenty — and so are the subsequent regrets. People travel to Sin City for a variety of reasons, including to see the shows and concerts, celebrate a birthday, or have a girls’ or guys’ getaway. Fifteen percent of respondents, however, said that their reason to go to Vegas was to party and get drunk.
Despite the popular phrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” (which 70 percent of the respondents said they have used), 13 percent of people do not keep their Vegas escapades under wraps. Nearly half of these secrets include sexual encounters, and a quarter include instances of cheating or going to a strip club.
Gambling is another big draw to the neon capital of the world, with 22 percent of people citing it as a reason to visit. Eighty-one percent of people traveling to Vegas gamble, and half of the respondents reported winning money. On average, people spent $487 gambling, and, for those who reported winning, gained $1,140. A quarter of people lost their winnings while continuing to gamble, however.
Vegas is also known for its weddings (which are sometimes officiated by an Elvis impersonator). Thirty-seven percent of people have reported going to a wedding while in Vegas, though approximately a third of these once-married couples are no longer together.
Following these wild times spent in Vegas, 20 percent of people said they behaved worse than they would have at home. Ten percent were embarrassed by their behavior, and 12 percent were embarrassed by their friends or family members.
Anywhere you go, however, it seems that the company you keep can have a large impact on the travel experience. Friends and loved ones are often welcome travel partners, with nearly half and a third of respondents, respectively, enjoying their company. But parents and in-laws? Not so much. Nineteen percent of people prefer to not go on vacation with their in-laws or with their mothers. Only 15 percent said they would prefer to travel without their father.
With the ongoing effects of the pandemic and inflation, some people are pulling back on their plans to travel. More than half of the survey respondents have limited their vacation plans this year because of these financial concerns. Forty-eight percent have limited plans for 2023.
Nevertheless, more than a third of respondents are still planning on vacationing during this year’s holiday season. Next year, many Americans are planning for two vacations throughout the year. Despite the potential financial toll, people’s desire and willingness to travel is strong.
Chelsea Henderson can be reached at chelsea.henderson@globe.com.