Over half of Irish people swear by packing one important item for their holidays
New research shows how much Irish travellers love their home comforts while on holidays
by Cathal Ryan · Irish MirrorFrom Irish tea bags and slippers to your own pillow or your favourite flavoured crisps, sliced bread and even your own kettle, the weirdest and most wonderful items that Irish people insist on packing for a holiday abroad have been revealed.
New research from TUI has confirmed a long-standing suspicion that the Irish prioritise their home comforts while travelling, with a study showing that 52 per cent of respondents admit to packing tea bags, and 34 per cent bring along coffee on their holidays.
However, it's not just beverages that find their way into Irish travellers’ bags. The survey reveals that 36 per cent can't travel without their slippers, and 22 per cent insist on bringing their own pillow.
Additionally, 12 per cent feel the need to have ketchup or sliced bread, and 11 per cent won't leave the country without their favourite cereal!
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More than half (57 per cent) confess to feeling homesick during their holidays, and 42 per cent pack various items simply because they prefer to have familiar comforts around them to create a homey atmosphere while away.
Despite Irish people being an organised bunch and packing as much as five days before the holiday starts, it’s no surprise that getting all our home comforts in our bags has resulted in packing being considered one of the most stressful parts of a holiday.
One in four (24 per cent) admit that they like to get their suitcases packed and sorted well in advance of their departure date, with nearly a quarter (23 per cent) always overpacking as they are trying to get as much as they can in, to be ‘on the safe side’.
In fact, this passion for creature comforts has even resulted in one in ten (12 per cent) finding space for their hot water bottle and favourite blanket (11 per cent), as well as cheddar cheese (10 per cent), their Kettle (8 per cent) and their favourite mug (7 per cent).
When it comes to the most stressful aspects of a holiday, 27 per cent admit to feeling stressed about fitting everything into their bags, while 21 per cent experience pressure when checking if their bag meets the weight requirements.
Other stress-inducing factors include getting to the airport (25 per cent), airport security (33 per cent), sorting out insurance and currency (23 per cent), and waiting around at the airport (21 per cent).
More than half (58 per cent) confess to exceeding luggage allowances, with individuals in Ulster (69 per cent) and Leinster (62 per cent) being the biggest over-packers.
About a third (32 per cent) willingly pay the additional cost and 33 per cent share items from their bag with travel companions. Meanwhile, 16 per cent go to the extent of discarding items to reduce weight, and 35 per cent admit to wearing as many clothes as possible.
“This research shows how much Irish travellers love their home comforts while on holidays," says Craig Morgan, Head of Ireland for TUI.
“That’s why we're increasing our luggage allowance for TUI Airways to 20kg as standard, with an extra 5kg for guests staying at TUI Blue, Holiday Village and A La Carte hotels.
“With all that extra weight to play around with guests will have plenty of room to take along loads of teabags, photos of their pets and even a loaf or two of bread.”
Full list of items Irish people insist on packing for their holidays
- Teabags - 52%
- Extra toothbrush - 44%
- Slippers - 37%
- Cotton buds - 36%
- Coffee - 35%
- Extra tubes of toothpaste - 34%
- Your own pillow - 22%
- Emergency sewing kit - 21%
- Cheese and onion crisps - 20%
- Your journal - 19%
- Umbrella - 19%
- Travel iron - 18%
- A collection of your favourite books - 14%
- Pot Noodles - 13%
- Rich tea biscuits - 13%
- Your childhood teddy bear - 13%
- Sliced bread - 12%
- Ketchup - 12%
- A hot water bottle - 12%
- Pictures of friends and family members - 12%
- Your favourite blanket - 11%
- Your favourite cereal - 11%
- Salt and vinegar crisps - 11%
- Cheddar cheese - 10%
- A picture of your pet - 9%
- Your favourite squash/cordial - 8%
- Kettle - 8%
- Your favourite mug - 7%
- Salt and pepper - 7%
- Brown sauce - 6%
- Chilli powder/hot sauce - 6%
- Crystals - 5%
- Marmalade - 4.0%
- Stock cubes - 4%
- Incense – 4%
- Your favourite ornament from home - 3%
- A family heirloom - 3%
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