Half of Brits afflicted with ‘jet-set jealousy’ reveals summer holiday study 

• Brits are most jealous of those on safari holidays 
• Men are more likely to holiday boast on social media than women 
• Dune diving and jet skiing are the most brag-worthy holiday activities 

The 2022 summer holiday season has left half of Brits feeling green with envy at other people’s vacation activities, and for one in ten (11%) this was the desired result as they admitted to wanting to make others jealous and to ‘show off’ through social media posts.  

Gen Z (16-24) are the most afflicted when it comes to jet-set jealousy, as three quarters (75%) cited envious feelings when comparing their own holiday itineraries to others, whilst older generations appear to care less, with just over a quarter (28%) of those aged 55+ being bothered.   

The study, conducted by online holiday company Thomas Cook has gauged the mood of the nation during the first restriction-free, summer holiday season since the pandemic, and reveals the true motivations for why Brits choose destinations and holiday activities. 

Holiday comparison is running rife amongst Brits, as more than a quarter (27%) have been left feeling that their own holiday activities were inadequate when compared to post-holiday conversations with friends and family members. 

This rises to 43% for Gen Z and almost half (47%) for younger Millennials (25-34) with holiday FOMO* being prevalent in these generations.  

Almost a third of Brits admit that ‘they’re doing it for the ‘gram’, when choosing holiday destinations, as 15% make the choice because it will look good on social media (15%) or have indicated that they would definitely choose a future holiday this way (15%). 

Men have come out on top as the gender most concerned with what those on social media think, as a fifth (20%) actively use this technique to pick their holiday destinations, versus only 12% of women. 

Most Envious Holiday Activities 

The top 10 most envied holiday activities
Rank	Activity	% of Brits
1	Safari	16%
2	Helicopter tour	14%
3	Hiring a boat/yacht	12%
4	Visit a hot springs/bath	11%
5	Visit a spa	10%
6	Go to the beaches	10%
7	Boat trip	10%
8	Scuba diving	10%
9	Jet skiing	9%
10	Skiing	8%

Safari tours are the nation’s most envied holiday activity with 16% admitting to feeling jealous when seeing others living their best life with wild animals. Another 9% of Brits would love to go on a safari but fear is stopping them from stepping out of their holiday comfort zone whilst almost a third (31%) of Brits have the safari desire but feel the cost is too high.

Costly activities are a running theme when it comes to what makes Brits jealous with helicopter tours and hiring a yacht following in second (14%) and third (12%) as the most envy-inducing activities. 

The most posted holiday activities to show off on social media  

Nearly a fifth (18%) of Brits will opt for adventure pursuits to make social content as impressive as possible, with jet skiing and dune driving being the two activities people most love to boast about when on holiday.  

Whilst adventure is the order of the day for many, some things never change, whether at home or away, as almost one in ten (8%) admit to showing off their gym routine whilst on holiday.  

The top 10 holiday activities posted on social media to show off
Rank	Holiday Activity	% Of Brits
=1	Dune driving	18%
=1	Jet skiing	18%
=2	Paddleboarding	12%
=2	Hiring a boat/yacht	12%
=3	Safari	11%
=3	Scuba diving	11%
=4	Helicopter tour	10%
=4	Visiting a hot springs/bath	10%
=5	Skiing	8%
=5	Gym	8%

As well as comparisons to friends and family’s holiday itineraries, Brits love to compare with strangers on social media, with almost a third (31%) admitting to feeling inadequate after doing so. Men are the most likely to feel deflated after comparing activities, with 35% feeling like their holiday plans don’t live up to others on social media, versus only a quarter (26%) of women.  

Unsurprisingly, all is not what it seems on social media, as one-fifth (21%) reveal that they have made their holiday seem better than it was on social apps and through in-person bragging, with two-fifths (40%) of both Gen Z and young Millennials admitting to this.   

In the battle of the sexes, men are the bigger show-offs when it comes to holiday ‘top trumps’ as almost a quarter of men (24%) compared to a fifth (19%) of women admit to misleading people in photos when it comes to how great their holiday was.  

Ryan Cotton, director of marketing at Thomas Cook, which commissioned the Holiday Attitudes study, said: “While millions of Brits took flight for the beaches and cities of the Med for pretty much the first time in two years, it seems plenty of us were more than a little envious of the holidays of our friends and family. At Thomas Cook, we want people to find the right holiday for themselves and their family, regardless of how it might look on social media. 

“Holidays are so important and they’re a great chance to switch off for a bit, soak up the sun and do exactly as you wish – how and when you wish.” 

You can find more information on what Brits really want to do on holiday here.