Jet2holidays finds: Brits draw travel inspiration from books

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Millions of travelers have selected their vacation spots based on books they’ve read, with Frances Mayes’ ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ emerging as the top source of inspiration.

According to a survey of 2,000 adults conducted by Jet2holidays in honor of World Book Day (March 7), one in four individuals have booked a holiday to explore a location mentioned in a novel.
Venice, depicted in Cornelia Funke’s ‘The Thief Lord’, Barcelona as portrayed in Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s ‘The Shadow of the Wind’, Kefalonia featured in ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’, and Paris from Victor Hugo’s ‘Les Misérables’, stand out as highly desired destinations.

Additionally, Rome, inspired by Dan Brown’s ‘Angels and Demons’, and Corfu, as depicted in Gerald Durrell’s ‘The Corfu Trilogy’, capture the imagination of many travelers.

Furthermore, the research revealed that 35 percent of respondents have been swayed by television shows, with Iceland, Spain, and Italy emerging as top destinations after being showcased on screen.

A spokesperson for Jet2holidays, said: “A lot of holiday inspiration naturally comes from watching films or TV shows. But we were surprised to see how many have had the urge to travel somewhere based on a book they have read – which has no visual representation of the country or city it is set in. 

“Sometimes it’s difficult deciding on where to go for your next trip, so it’s nice knowing that books aren’t just good for unwinding and enjoying some much-needed downtime, but also for holiday help too.” 

Motivations for visiting a place mentioned in a novel vary, with reasons including the desire to witness its real-life appearance (46 percent), to delve deeper into the area’s essence (32 percent), and to fulfill a bucket list item (15 percent).

Surprisingly, 62 percent of those who embarked on such journeys found their book-inspired destination exceeded their expectations.

Once they arrived, fifty percent of the travelers ventured to explore landmarks or attractions mentioned in the novel, while twenty-five percent chose to stay in accommodations that were featured in the story. Additionally, 27 percent engaged in professional guided tours of the destinations they had read about, according to data from OnePoll.com.

The study also revealed that individuals who have vacationed after reading about a place in a book have taken an average of three such trips, with 15 percent booking their journey immediately after finishing the novel. Furthermore, 17 percent have a list of approximately five destinations they wish to visit in the future based on books they’ve read.

A spokesperson for Jet2holidays remarked, “This World Book Day, we hope this research inspires people to visit their local bookshop and pick up a novel that could become the backdrop for their next vacation.”

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