Do you argue with your loved ones on holiday?

Are your holidays filled with love, laughter and relaxation? Or do you bicker with your loved ones? We find out how many Brits fall out on holiday and why.

How many Brits fall out on holiday?

It’s fair to say that we all enjoy fun in the sun with our loved ones. Holidays give us the opportunity to escape from our usual routine, embrace new cultures, sample delicious cuisine and visit areas of outstanding natural beauty. All while spending quality time with people that mean the most to us – our family and friends.

As much as we all picture a break that’s filled with fun – sometimes, holidays aren’t always plain sailing. The snaps on social media may show people to be having the best time EVER, but that’s not always the reality. Hello squabbling couples, toddler tantrums and family fall outs.

We wanted to find out how many people argue on holiday, and what the reasons are for these fall outs. So, we’ve done some research to discover how harmonious the nation’s holidays really are.
Are your breaks all smiles and laughter? Or, be honest, do you want to tear each other’s hair out?!

45% of people fall out on holiday over where to go and what to see

 

Our research shows that more than two thirds of Brits admit to falling out with friends or family while away. But why? It seems that the biggest cause of fall outs is over activities – with nearly half (45%) saying they argue about where to go and what to see. This is perhaps understandable, as many tourists feel the pressure to cram all their sightseeing into the limited time they have.

Disagreements continue to be fuelled by ineffectual decision making, with a third of people stating that choosing where or what to eat caused problems with their loved ones. Women are the worst culprits, with nearly half falling out with friends and family over food while abroad.

Once holidaymakers have resolved the ‘where to visit and what to eat’ debate, misbehaving children are another cause of fall outs. A considerable 41% of respondents said that people not controlling their children led to rows on holiday – all the more reason to get the activities right and keep the little ones entertained!

Men are twice as likely to fall out over money

 

 

Ever experienced the awkward ‘how to split the bill’ scenario with friends or relatives on holiday?

You’re not alone. In fact, nearly a quarter of people (23%) quarrel over money, with men twice as likely to do so (37%) compared to their female counterparts (15%). With the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics claiming that Brits have forked out £45 million in the last 12 months on overseas travel, it’s no wonder we want to keep an eye on the purse strings.

While men admit to getting hot under the collar about finances, women confess that it’s the hot weather that makes them irate. In fact, our research shows that over double the number of women will bicker with their loved ones about the weather compared with men (34% v 16%).

So, how long do you spend with your loved ones before the disputes commence?

Now that we know what we argue about, we wanted to discover who we’re more likely to quarrel with. It’s fair to say that we can holiday harmoniously with some people more than others – so who can we tolerate the longest without having a row?

Our survey found that UK adults are happiest spending an extended period of time with their partners. On average, we think we could holiday for 10 days and 6 minutes with our significant other without having a fall out.

Coming in a close second was holidaying with our kids, with Brits confident that they could spend 8 days and 12 hours with their little ones without any altercations. After this, adults think they could happily jet off for seven days with friends, seven days with brothers, six days with their mum and five days with cousins.

 

 

On the other hand, it appears we’re most likely to fall out with our dads, sisters and grandparents, as adults admit they could only spend two days on average with these relatives before having a feud. In last place is other people’s children, such as nieces, nephews and godchildren, who we can just about tolerate for one-and-a-half days.

 

Are arguments abroad avoidable?

Holidays are a great opportunity to spend time with loved ones but can also be quite intense, as we spend every minute of the day together. While certain situations may cause our blood pressure to rise and our patience to snap, it is possible to enjoy a truly relaxing break without squabbling. Really, it is!

If you sense an argument on the horizon over the food you fancy for dinner, simply take a step back. Have a moment to yourself, even if it’s just a 10-minute walk around the resort or a quick shower, it will help you to remain calm and relaxed. Then you can come back to the conversation feeling more level-headed.

It’s also important to try and let go of the vision of the ‘perfect holiday’. While we may want to visit every beach and every museum and every restaurant in the resort, it may not be realistic. Instead of battling over what you ‘must do’ and ‘must see’ and listing endless activities, try picking one each. That way, you’ll have a much more manageable list, and everyone will be happy.

How long do you think you could spend on holiday with your friends and family without any arguments? We guess there’s only one way to find out…