- Not visiting nearby landmarks is British travellers No. 1 holiday regret
- Christ the Redeemer is the landmark we are most likely not to visit when in the city
For many, holidays are all about expanding their horizons and seeing famous wonders and landmarks around the world. A large proportion of British travellers, however, do not visit these famous sites, even when they are on holiday nearby and they are right on their doorstep.
And according to new research from travel search engine KAYAK.co.uk, ‘not visiting nearby landmarks’ (40%) is British holidaymakers No. 1 holiday regret. So, what are the landmarks British holidaymakers are most likely to give a miss?
Christ the Redeemer in Rio came top according to the study, with 45% of British visitors to Rio admitting they didn’t take the time to visit the famous statue. It is followed by the Taj Mahal – 32% of British visitors to Agra in India gave the famous mausoleum a miss.
In third place is the Grand Canyon (32% of visitors to Vegas don’t go), whilst Gaudi’s Cathedral Sagrada Familia in Barcelona came in fourth (30%). The top five is rounded out by New York’s famous Statue of Liberty, with 28% not visiting the landmark whilst in the Big Apple.
The Top Ten most ‘missed’ landmarks – along with current prices for a mid-August flight for those who do want to see them:
| Landmark / destination | Percentage of British travellers who didn’t visit despite being in the city | Price for return flight this August |
| Christ the Redeemer – Rio | 45% | £710 |
| Taj Mahal – Agra | 36% | N/A |
| Grand Canyon – Nevada | 32% | £1,295 |
| Sagrada Familia – Barcelona | 30% | £178 |
| Statue of Liberty- New York | 28% | £710 |
| Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco | 28% | £867 |
| Eiffel Tower – Paris | 25% | £118 |
| Empire State Building – New York | 25% | £710 |
| Opera House – Sydney | 25% | £710 |
| Pyramids – Cairo | 24% | £862 |
Missing potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to see famous landmarks isn’t the only thing that Brits regret when it comes to not making the most of their holidays. This was followed by 38% who regret ‘not taking enough pictures’ whilst 29% regret just staying in their resort. A further 28% regret not being more adventurous with food, whilst 27% regret wasting their holiday by laying in each morning.
John-Lee Saez, Managing Director for KAYAK Europe, comments: “People take very different attitudes to holidays – for some they are journeys of adventure and discovery, whilst for others, holidays are a time for well-earned rest. And both are equally valid reasons to get away. However, whilst it can be tempting to stay in the comfort and luxury of a resort, I’d suggest travellers have a real think about how they may feel in the long run if they don’t visit a world-famous landmark that is nearby.
“We’ve created a huge selection of guides for travellers which can be found at kayak.co.uk/guides to help travellers to plan and prioritise what they want to see when they are away to ensure they won’t be coming home with any regrets. We’ve also got guides on the best time to fly, so any travellers who want to return to a destination where they missed a landmark can plan the best-value time to return.”
NOTES TO EDITOR:
Research conducted by Opinium Research amongst 1,007 adults in the UK, between 10-14 January 2019 and not previously published.
Flight prices based on cheapest options for outbound return economy travel from a London, UK – departing on 12 August and returning 19 August. Prices sourced 6 August 2019. Prices are subject to availability, are not guaranteed and may no longer be available.
