The main emotion felt by travellers at the booking stage? It’s excitement, of course!

Nothing is likely to get us in a good mood faster than the prospect of an imminent getaway, and now new research has revealed that those ‘feel good’ endorphins kick in the moment we click on the ‘book now’ button.

Looking specifically at the psychology of travel, the latest installment of the TripBarometer study by TripAdvisor revealed that the main emotion felt by travellers as they go through the process of booking their holidays is excitement. With swaying palm trees, plush hotel suites, pristine beaches and more to look forward to, it’s no wonder that more than half (54%) of travellers feel this way as they click, call or swipe their way to the holiday of their dreams.

According to the survey - which questioned a staggering 53,000 travellers around the globe- our holiday excitement levels peak before the main holiday event has even taken place, with the lead-up and arrival most likely to put us in high spirits.

Luckily the findings of the survey also revealed that the central part of our holidays have a definitive impact on our wellbeing, with holidaymakers most likely to feel satisfied after they’ve returned home from a stint of well-earned holiday R & R.

motivations affect the emotions we want to feel on holiday

Further findings from the research also offered up an insight into how our motivations for heading off on a break abroad affect the way we want to feel once we have landed on foreign shores.

As an example, the ideal equation for someone who is packing their bags motivated by a feeling of liberation would be ‘Enjoy life to the fullest + Let go and feel carefree’. A number of holiday types could potentially offer the solution to this holiday equation, but back-packing around the globe with no set plan in place surely ticks some of the ‘liberation’ boxes.

Other statements revealed by the survey include the following:

* Immersion =Immerse myself in local culture + Meet new people & make memories
* Relationships = Enjoy moments with loved ones+ Strengthen existing relationships
* Harmony = Restore sense of harmony/balance+ Feel looked after/taken care of
* Order = Time out to think & regain control + Feel organised / avoid surprises

Date Created: 02/10/2014