"Capital of Turkey? Ankara!"
As the World Cup tests our international knowledge, and the Summer Holidays approach, expertise of key landmarks, dishes and drinks abroad, has never been more indispensable.
Groupon UK Getaways has tracked the nation’s travel knowledge by polling the UK’s ladies to assess how clued up they are when it comes to local cuisines, culture and knowledge of famous landmarks.
The survey revealed some confusion when it came to local cuisine and the local lingo, but the ladies proved that they’re clued up when it came to visiting the local landmarks.
When it comes to tricky capital cities that are easily confused, Britain's women have the edge. An impressive 50% were able to correctly identify Ankara as the Capital of Turkey, 46% said Brasilia was the Capital of Brazil, and 66% put Canberra, ahead of often-cited Sydney, as the Capital of Australia.
When it came to identifying local cuisines, some British women remained confused as to the exact origin of certain dishes mixing nations and local dishes up. 79% of respondents believed Italy’s famous pasta dish Ziti originated from either Romania or Greece. A further 73% of British ladies believed that the famous German Pretzel originated from either America or Israel.
The ability to understand local terms proved more difficult for today’s travellers. 13% incorrectly believed escargot was a local term used in Spain or Italy and 34% believed that grenouille was a local French term for green beans rather than frogs.
Top Tips to becoming Travel Savvy by Millie Humphries, Head of Experiences at Groupon UK
- Read, Read, Read! - nothing expands knowledge as much as reading - whether you're learning the lingo or scoping out places to visit, pick up a few travel guides to get a head start on your tourist escapades. Whilst there's plenty of good material online, it's well worth dipping into your local bookshop and getting some in-depth info on your chosen destination. Most decent bookstores will have a wide selection of destination-oriented guides, and it's the quickest and most effective way of getting to grips with your chosen idyll before you arrive.
- Don't leave it to the last minute - holidays and travel are there to be a break from life, and life is busy, but the last thing you want is to arrive at an airport with no clue to get to your hotel or indeed what language you need to learn basic phrases in. You don't have to put tonnes of work in, but you should know basic phrases, the key landmarks and how public transport works before you get on your airplane.
- Respect the local culture - particularly pertinent for us Brits, as the results of our travel survey show! Ignorance is never attractive, and no, SHOUTING LOUDER is not the same as being understood by locals. Instead, learn basic phrases in the local language, clue up on local customs and make sure that as well as knowing everything you need to have a great time, that you know what faux pas to avoid so as not to ruin your escape before you even begin it.
- Make the learning simple - just because you need to learn some basics doesn't mean you have to spend hours cramming from travel guides before you jet off. Mind maps, diagrams and acronyms can make learning much quicker, efficient, and enjoyable. Something as simple as writing basic phrases on a post-it note on your fridge or desk so you can quickly remind and test yourself in the run up to your excursion can really help.
- Don't try and be the class swot - this is particularly relevant if you're on a long sojourn across many countries. You need the basics, not a baccalaureate. Know how much you need to retain, and draw the line there. This will usually be basic phrases, the relevant public transport and emergency services information and some geography.
Roy Blanga, Managing Director, Groupon UK said: “It’s great to see that as a nation we really know our international locations, even though some of the results do highlight that we still have some research to do.
"With international travel it’s easy to get some of the basics wrong, luckily nowadays, with so many mobile apps and websites out there we can find out all the facts we need to know about our chosen locations before we get there! So whether it’s planning a short mini break, or looking for a great deal on a beach holiday in an exotic European location – all the information is available at our fingertips.”
For great deals on local and European travel visit http://www.groupon.co.uk/getaways