Are you a loner couple on holiday?
www.Schofields.ltd.uk found that when it comes to owning a holiday home abroad 57% of Brits are reluctant to integrate themselves with the local people, preferring their own company. We find out why.
‘No need- we are only there occasionally’- Many Brits are of the same opinion that the short duration of their stay does not warrant the time spent to ‘make nice’ with their neighbours or the locals.
‘Apprehensive to’- 30% of Brits felt a little unsure about approaching the locals for fear of how they might react to them. With many negative stereotypes surrounding foreign people that have crept into society over many years- it can put them off trying to communicate with them more than is necessary.
‘The locals don’t want us to’- 9% of Brits are of the opinion that the locals are not tolerant of holiday makers and so don’t try to engage with them.
‘We don’t speak the language’- Only 18% of Brits have learned the language native to their holiday home destination and so can only converse with the locals in English, which can prove to be difficult if the locals are not bi-lingual.
Phil Schofield of Schofields Holiday Home Insurance said the following:
“Holiday home owning Britons seem to have a bit of an insular attitude when it comes to interacting with communities abroad, as the results of our poll show. Even though it may seem unimportant if you’re only visiting a few times a year, we would always recommend doing what you can to get to know the community surrounding your second home. Not only is it polite to, but you’ll find yourself with more of a ‘home away from home’ to go to for your holidays if you get to know those around you- and more people to lend a hand should you ever run into trouble! Besides, it’d surely be nice to know some of your holiday home neighbours might be keeping an eye on your property when you aren’t there. Don’t treat it as you would a hotel, but more as you do the neighbourhood in which you live in the UK.”
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