Are you a Nomophobic? Brits
can’t let go of mobiles even on holiday
Nomophobia
may sound like an aversion towards creepy crawlies or something equally as unpleasant
but it is in fact a term which describes a very different fear. Nomophobics suffer
with anxiety at having no access to mobile technology, and we at TripAdvisor
have conducted research to find out just how obsessed many of us are with our
mobiles. And it seems holidays are no exception when it comes to mobile
addiction. But have you considered how that affects the people you’re with?
Over
half of the British population own a smartphone* and a recent poll of over
5,000** respondents on
TripAdvisor.co.uk reveals that over two-thirds (68%) of Brits have been on holiday with
someone who refuses to be parted from their mobile phone.
And
while mobiles and social media can undoubtedly be useful when on holiday,
allowing you to access maps and find local information, a significant number of
Brits are using technology to gloat at those back home, according to further
research carried out on over 2,500 TripAdvisor respondents***. Almost
two-thirds (64%) of Brits admit to posting an update or photo of their travels on to a social media site to make those at home jealous.
“As
mobile devices and social media continue their dominance in our everyday lives,
it’s perhaps not surprising that we struggle to let go when on holiday too. So
while many of us prefer to stay connected in some way, holiday-makers need to
be careful that their mobile and social addictions don’t lead them to miss out
on actually enjoying their holiday,” commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor
spokesperson.
*Research carried out by Kantar
Worldpanel
**Poll carried out on 5,378
respondents on TripAdvisor.co.uk between 14-20 September 2012
*** Poll carried out on 2,775 respondents on TripAdvisor.co.uk between
2-7 August 2012
