camera
Over a third of holiday makers lose something while they are away and a leading travel agency revealed that it is more often than not a camera.
Let’s face it a lot of us will leave something behind on holiday, if it is an almost used bottle of sun tan lotion, or a magazine but a large number of holiday makers lose more valuable items, the camera at the top of this list, closely followed by a purse or wallet.
The sunshine website was responsible for releasing these results as part of their continuous research into the habits of holiday makers in and round the UK. A total of 1,672 people from the UK were asked, all aged over 18, all of whom had been on holiday in the past six months. Each person was asked about things they have lost on holiday.
Initially, respondents were asked 'Have you ever lost anything whilst on holiday?' to which more than a third, 35%, said 'yes'. These people were then asked to name what it was that they had lost before, selecting more than one option if they had lost more than one item. The top 10 answers were as follows:
1. Camera - 32%
2. Purse/wallet - 29%
3. Sunglasses - 27%
4. Ring - 24%
5. Swimwear - 21%
6. Mobile phone - 18%
7. Shoes - 15%
8. Watch - 11%
9. MP3/iPod - 9%
10. Passport - 4%
Everyone was asked that of those items lost which ones were found and a more promising 40% said that they had later recovered the item.
More worryingly so, 4 participants answered that they has lost their child while on holiday but all of them were found a short while after.
52% of the participants said that an item thought to be lost turned up later into the holiday and 24% said that their items had been handed in at the hotel reception.
Chris Clarkson, Managing Director of sunshine.co.uk, said the following:
"Losing something on holiday can be really frustrating, particularly if you're half way home before realising! Your best bet is to report a lost item to reception in your accommodation as soon as you realise it is missing, or retrace your steps if you've visited any restaurants, bars or anywhere you could have left anything.
"Also, remember not to take valuable items away with you if you don't have to, as you might end up losing something expensive or irreplaceable!"