The Great Jet Set Divide

Julie Carpenter writing in the Express this week quoted our very own David Wickers for his comments on what you get when you upgrade your long-haul flights.

Here's an excerpt:

David Wickers, an experienced travel writer and director of holiday specialists Bridge & Wickers, says: “The most opulent experiences are going to be had on the new Airbus A380 which is two storey. If you’re flying on the Singapore Airlines 380 in first class you have your own suite – you can actually close the door and have total privacy. On the Qantas 380 there’s a presentation area designed for businessmen to host a meeting. On the Emirates 380 you have the likes of showers and top-end bars. You can expect to be picked-up by limousine from your home and dropped off when you get back. In the lounges, before you even get on the plane, you can have massages, spa treatments, get your shoes shined and have free drinks and meals.”

If you’re a BA first-class customer you have the option of a range of these lounges, which all boast ­restaurants, private concierges and suites should you wish to change or take a nap. Arguably the most sumptuous is The Galleries First Lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 which even features The Gold Bar, which is covered in gold leaf and is lit by a Swarovski crystal chandelier. 

“First-class passengers still have to go through security like everyone else but they are fast-tracked through and have dedicated ­check-in,” says a BA spokesman.

So is it worth upgrading?

“What you get by upgrading your class of travel is obviously ­dependent on individual airlines,” says ­Wickers. “It’s also worth bearing in mind that the benefit of a better seat increases in direct proportion to the distance you travel and the time of your flight. If for example you can’t afford to upgrade your seat for both the outbound and inbound flights pick the one when you’re ­flying overnight for your upgrade.

“Premium economy in most cases offers more space, a better choice of food, a dedicated cabin on the plane and often dedicated check-in at the airports. However many airlines merely use the same seats as ­economy but with more leg room. Other airlines use their own ­business-class seats. The jump from premium to business class is the biggest both in terms of comfort and price.”

Indeed business class has become so good, with many airlines offering flat beds, that some people now argue first class cannot survive for much longer.

The formula for happy holiday - the top 3 happiest countries are Bridge & Wickers destinations!

Australia, Canada and South Africa have been voted the happiest holiday destinations by UK travellers.
Over 1000 people were polled in a survey conducted by Skyscanner, which examined various components of a holiday including the quality of accommodation, food, length of flight, weather, duration, motivation for the trip, travelling companions as well as details of planning and paying.

Further and longer = happier Despite the popularity of the UK staycation, Skyscanner¹s study showed that people are happiest when they go abroad, and the further away the better, with six of the top ten happiest holiday destinations being long haul. The survey also revealed that those who were most happy had been away for the longest period.

The countries ranked in order of happiness were:1.      Australia
2.      Canada
3.      South Africa
4.      India
5.      France
6.      Thailand
7.      USA
8.      Italy
9.      Portugal
10.   Greece

Psychologist Cliff Arnall, speaking on behalf of Skyscanner, explained the reasons behind the findings: 'As great as holidaying in the UK can be, most people enjoy experiencing somewhere different with a better climate. Short haul trips to Europe can offer this, but they are also now relatively common. Long haul holidays tend to be for longer periods of time and have greater impact because they are seen as more special than staying in the UK or catching flights to Spain, for example'.

Overall, 69% of those surveyed were ecstatic or very happy about their last holiday. 'This is due to the fact that people enjoy the relaxation achieved by a holiday' says Arnall:

'Two thirds of working people dislike their jobs and many resent the routine associated with the predictable, mundane nature of things at home. Being on holiday is an ideal escape from this and is both stimulating and relaxing'.

Money can buy happiness

The study also revealed that contrary to popular belief, money can in fact buy happiness; those who had spent more than £3000 per person on their holiday were the most happy. This ties in with the longer haul destinations, and may also in part be due to the type of trip; for example a honeymoon or a 'once in a lifetime' voyage has extra special meaning and is likely to cost more.

Shared decisions

A sense of sharing was also important, with the happiest people making a joint contribution in planning and paying for the trip. Holiday planning, especially when done jointly, is a very satisfying activity. As long as all concerned feel they are making a contribution and having their views taken into account then planning is both enjoyable and makes people feel emotionally closer to each other says Arnall.

The importance of companions

The survey showed that it takes more than just money to make a happy holiday; the choice of travel companion and socialising once there is also significant. Those who had holidayed with friends and also made new friends whilst away, were happiest.  How visitors are treated by their local hosts also affected happiness; the more welcoming and friendly they are, the better the experience.

Whatever the weather

Good weather was also important to achieve maximum satisfaction whilst on holiday. This is especially relevant for those living in the UK where the climate is unpredictable and a common cause of complaint. Therefore the guarantee of sun (or snow) is a vital factor in holiday happiness.

Great expectations?

Expectations and the planning of a trip also affected satisfaction. Rather than having heightened expectations that were then dashed, the survey found that those who had planned a long time in advance were happiest. Arnall explains: Booking ahead provides two very important positives; something to look forward to and something to tell other people about. People who have booked ahead well in advance have the satisfaction (and some might say smugness!) of knowing exactly where they are going and when. Telling other people about nice things you are going to do is a crucial part of boosting self-esteem and achieving social status.

The Holiday Happiness Formula

Although there is no exact science to travel, using the findings on factors that affect holiday happiness, Skyscanner has devised a psychological formula for a happy holiday:

H = (I x P) + M + A + W + R + (D - d)

H - Holiday happiness: the level of contentment felt whilst on holiday
I - Interpersonal connections:  genuinely getting on with the people you are travelling with and meeting new people whilst on holiday is a very important part of having a happy holiday experience.
P - Planning:  includes all aspects of researching the destination and travel arrangements.
M - Motivation: visiting a destination you always wanted to go to, a place that holds some fascination or desire for you.
A - Accommodation: includes the comfort, cleanliness, location and the quality of food.
W - Weather: the predictability of temperature, winds, daylight and dryness all combine to decrease psychological stress and increase mood and relaxation.
R - Reflection: taking the time to appreciate the new things you are experiencing whilst away and also appreciating what you have at home.
D - Distance: destinations further away from the UK correlated with greater overall holiday satisfaction. This is due to such destinations being less common, more special trips.
d - Delays: the longer the delay the higher the stress and unhappiness with the holiday. This is an unpredictable part of travelling which can reduce overall happiness.

Do you agree with these findings, is your favourite destination on the list, do you think the formula for a happy holiday is correct?

We'd love to get your feedback on this - so feel free to leave any comments below!

Sydnicity - new Tourism New South Wales launch

Last night, David Wickers was at the National Theatre's spectacular Thameside venue The Deck, for Tourism New South Wales' launch of it's 'Sydnicity' campaign.

Designed to show those who have yet to visit Australia's gorgeous city that there is more to see than its classic icons, including the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach. Arts, fashion, food and wine, beaches, events and the great outdoors are all showcased in the new TV and on line commercials in which locals offer their own 'Sydnicity' moments.


If you'd like a copy of our Australia brochure or would like some advice planning your trip to Sydney and the rest of Australia, please get in touch

Trip Advisor - true or false?

Trip Advisor has become a vital resource for those planning holidays, with many people only choosing their hotels on the basis of its recommendations. As a specialist tour operator we are not only surprised by the number of prospective clients who select their accommodation according to this 'guru' site, but often puzzled by some of these choices when compared with our own first hand experience of the individual properties.

But questions, it seems, are increasingly being asked by others as to the reliability of its advice and the authenticity of the sources of information posted on the site. The latest to raise doubts is the highly respected Good Hotel Guide, as its latest newsletter reveals

It has also been our practice, when our consultants talk to clients about their 'Trip Advised' choice of hotels and don't share the same opinion, that they ask the client to compare one of their own personal favourites with the comments on the same hotels posted on the site. In many cases these reveal significantly different opinions, both where a client's favourite has been downgraded by comments on the site and where a property poorly rated by a client has scored highly. We are not suggesting that such discrepancies are necessarily suspect but that, short of a personal recommendation from a friend or relation, it may be far better to trust the first hand knowledge of a professional than the views of a complete stranger.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic - feel free to add your comments below

Adam Raphael writes:

Shameless

TripAdvisor has millions of consumer reviews on its website and is regarded as an increasingly powerful marketing tool by hotels. But its refusal to screen out collusive and malicious reviews is brazen. When a hotelier complained that a critical comment was planted by a competitor, he received this brush off from TripAdvisor: “Since reviews are posted by our members on our open forum, and we do not verify the information posted in them, we are unable to provide you with proof that this member reserved, stayed, or actually visited [your] hotel.”
This reply has the virtue of honesty, but it is shameless. TripAdvisor has dropped its slogan: “Get the truth and Go”, , but it continues to claim that it provides: "real hotel reviews you can trust”. It says that it uses a sophisticated algorithm to sort out the bogus from the genuine, and that hotels are penalised if they try to manipulate their ranking. But it is all too easy to evade these controls. I posted a bogus, over-the-top glowing review of a truly terrible hotel using a false name and a false email address. It was put up on TripAdvisor's website within hours. Investigations by the Sunday Times and the Times have come to a similar conclusion. The website is wide open to abuse. In its defence, TripAdvisor says that its users read reviews with “the right level of scepticism”. They need to. The sad truth is that millions of consumers are being gulled.

A group of British hoteliers is now considering taking legal action for defamation against TripAdvisor. A legal action would be fraught and expensive, but the website is undoubtedly vulnerable, as it has no idea who its contributors are and makes no attempt to find out. It would therefore not be able to put forward a defence of justification. The hoteliers are also mounting a campaign to force the website, owned by the travel company Expedia, to publish the names of its reviewers. Ending anonymity would stop much of the malicious and collusive reviewing that is going on. But TripAdvisor should also check whether the names and email addresses of its reviewers are genuine. Until it takes these elementary precautions, anyone using its website should beware.