- Two in five children would rather holiday in fictional destinations than real places
- Hogwarts and the Star Wars Universe top children’s mythical holiday destinations
- ‘No school’ is voted as the best thing about going on holiday
Two-fifths (40%) of children aged five to 11 would choose to holiday in a mythical destination rather than a real place, reveals new research from travel insurance specialist Columbus Direct1.
Hogwarts and the Star Wars Universe were voted as the top mythical holiday destinations closely followed by Candyland, Neverland, Narnia and Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
Meeting their favourite characters, namely Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, is the top reason for children choosing to visit these enchanting places (24%). Keen to experience the magical flair themselves, almost a quarter of children (23%) have high expectations that their chosen destinations will be just like what they have seen in films and picture books.
As a weather-obsessed nation that never seems to get enough sunny days, it is perhaps not surprising that a fifth (18%) of the children believe that these magical places would be hot and sunny. One in seven (15%) expects their visit to the mythical world to be filled with magic and fun, which would certainly be the case for Hogwarts, Neverland and Narnia.
Although parents will struggle to take their children to these bewitching destinations with broomsticks or Hogwarts Express, there are attainable getaways that children do enjoy. Holidays to their favourite football club, the cinema, and Grandma’s house were also popular choices, as long as there is no school involved, which one in five children (20%) voted as the best thing about going on holiday.
Polly Whisker, aged 9, said: ‘‘I’d love to go to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory because it would smell really nice and there are lots of chocolates and sweets everywhere and I can meet the Oompa Loompas. I would have to travel there through a chocolate river, so I will need to save up my pocket money to buy a boat.’’
Rob Thomas, Head of Brand at Columbus Direct, said: ‘‘Children are known for their boundless imagination and curiosity so it was lovely to see that they are being so creative when it comes to choosing their dream getaway destination. Whilst we may not actually need travel insurance to cover us for a damaged broomstick or X-wing, or to replace our broken wand, travel insurance is a necessity for all holidaymakers as it can provide protection against all eventualities ranging from trip cancellations to lost baggage and medical expenses. We offer families a range of different policies to ensure they have the best cover for their loved ones regardless of their dream holiday destinations.”
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