Most of us love travelling the globe and discovering new places, even going so far as to upload pictures and videos of our favourite moments to show off to everybody we've left at home! According to new research travel Instagrammers are amongst those perpetuating an unrealistic and unattainable view of travel.
The analysis of travel imagery - which also included search engine pictures, media outlet pictures and stock image sites - took place across over 100 popular online channels, and found that 95% of the pictures showed unrealistic scenes.
Over a third (38%) of images are overly-filtered or posed, with 42% showing completely blue skies without any seas; turquoise seas without rocks or seaweed; and swimwear shots at pristine beaches or pools.
The research - from hotel brand Hampton by Hilton - has found that almost a third (29%) of Brits would rather see authentic pictures, showing what a holiday is really like. In fact, they're seven times more likely to visit a destination if they see a picture posted on social media which they deem is realistic. Whilst we love a blue sky picture we can definitely relate to that!
The trend, perhaps unexpectedly, is being driven by a younger generation - those aged between 18 and 34 are fed up of overly-filtered images on social media (31%), with 3.4 million admitting to unfollowing someone for posting too many filtered images of exotic locations.
In his new series This is Real Travel, documentary photographer Ian Weldon shows a more realistic side to British travel with imagery captured at Hampton by Hilton Edinburgh West End featuring real guests in action - from Morris dancers in full regalia getting to grips with a waffle maker, to football fans having a post-match pint and the flurry of girlfriends getting ready for a night out.
Ian Weldon comments, “This series is all about celebrating those heart-warming and often humorous connections that happen when we travel, and I hope it shines a light on the fun and friendliness that can be found in every single type of trip. This series brings to life the real side of travel by celebrating the connections that make travelling experiences so special but often don’t make the photo album.”
Tal Shefer, Regional Head, Hampton by Hilton EMEA comments, “With Brits admitting they would like to see people using no filters for travel photography in 2020, we couldn’t be happier to partner with Ian Weldon to launch our ‘This Is Real Travel’ campaign. When it comes to trips, Hampton keeps it real. Whenever you stay with us, you can count on our hot breakfast, waffles and Wi-Fi to be included as standard, along with happiness guaranteed!”
To view the full This is Real Travel series and for a look behind the scenes of the shoot visit https://newsroom.hilton.com/hampton/news/hilton-hires-photographer-to-show-realistic-british-travel.
Hampton by Hilton serves quality-driven and value-conscious travellers at more than 2,500 properties in 29 countries and territories. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits.
Tagged in Travel