It turns out that Brits much prefer the brighter side of life with 60% of them admitting that sunshine is one of the most important ingredients for a happy holiday, with hassle free travel (64%) and sightseeing (66%) making up the top three, according to a survey by ebookers.com, one of Europe’s leading online travel agents.

Amusingly 6% of cheeky Brits think that eye candy on the beach makes for a happy holiday, of whom over three quarters (86%) are men. Similarly, 3% of people think a good-looking air hostess is a key factor, with 92% of them predictably men.

The news come as Britain wallows in what’s said to be the most depressing day of the year. It’s likely that many will be daydreaming about faraway shores and getting the sand between their toes – 40% of people said that beach breaks were their favourite type of holiday, so much so that ebookers.com has seen a 150% increase in searches for beach holidays compared to this time last month.

In the midst of the January blues, 38% of people feel that dark and cold mornings trigger them to book a holiday. The patter of rain (28%) and depressing news stories (13%) also entice people to book. Yet 41% of people feel that nothing would trigger them to book a holiday in January.

Jo Hemmings, relationship psychologist, comments, “January is always a lull month after the excitement of Christmas. People are already thinking about happier times and holidays are a big part of this. With time off allowing people to relax, it is interesting that sightseeing is what makes people happiest whilst away.

“Everyone always wants something different from their break so I always feel it’s important that everyone going on the holiday discuss their ideals of what they want before jetting off, regardless of who’s booked it. Also it’s good to plan how you’re going to spend your holiday so that you know you’ll be happy for the duration.”

The research, which polled 2,000 British adults, delved into people’s holiday beliefs. It revealed that women really do wear the trousers, with just 2% of them allowing their husbands or boyfriends to decide the destination.

Once on holiday it’s surprising to see it’s the boys who feel the pressure of looking good on the beach in front of their partner (9%) - so much so it would actually put them off booking a holiday. Women are slightly less vain with 7% worried about looking good in their beach attire.

Interestingly the data also discovered that the “staycation” is still going strong, with a fifth of people (20%) having had their happiest holidays in the UK.

As people tighten their purse strings, ebookers.com also found that 13% of men admit to scrimping at Christmas to allow them to book their holiday in January compared to 6% of women.

The idea of a savvy traveller is certainly becoming the norm. The research showed that 47% of southerners booked earlier because it’s cheaper, compared to nearly 40% of northerners. Of those “savvy Southerners”, 51% were male, highlighting that men are more determined to book a good deal and get to the beach quicker.

The research also revealed:
·      16% of the UK will not go on holiday this year, both in the UK or abroad
·      4% of people would book a holiday in January due to a bursting work inbox, of whom the majority are men (73%)

Jessica Craker, UK Marketing Manager, comments; “It’s always interesting to see the different attitudes of men and women when it comes to finding that perfect holiday, but whatever your happy holiday formula may be, the easiest way to find it is by searching online. The research confirms what we’re seeing; since the launch of our Travel Happier Sale with up to 50% off hotels, we’ve seen beach holiday searches up by 150% from this time last month. For those 41% who say nothing will trigger booking a holiday in January, we’ll always encourage our customers to book early when it’s cheaper to take advantage of our sale. If there’s one thing we know that can make the booking decision easier and holidays just a bit happier – it’s a good price.”