The Dutch suffer from FOMO during holidays
Are you going on holiday to Thailand or elsewhere soon? Then there is a good chance that you too are glued to your smartphone for an average of 2,5 hours a day. Just under 15% of the Dutch are even glued to their social media for more than 5 hours a day on holiday, according to the Hotels.com™ Mobile Travel Tracker*.
This global survey of 9.200 travelers from 31 countries shows that the Dutch love to use social media during a holiday because we are afraid of missing out, or suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). For example, Dutch holidaymakers mainly use the following social media channels to stay informed:
- Facebook (62%).
- YouTube (38%).
- Twitter (28%).
- Instagram (26%).
- Skype (25%)
Dutch travelers suffer from FOMO
The Dutch appear to be extremely sensitive to FOMO. At least 48% of Dutch travelers check updates and news from friends on social media during their holidays. Who does what, where and with whom? A quarter indicate that they respond to messages from friends so as not to miss anything while on vacation. Keep your friends close, keep your smartphone closer.
My vacation is more fun
We also have a hand in bragging ourselves by posting a nice holiday snap on social media. No less than a third of the Dutch admit that they sometimes post a photo to make those at home jealous. Also, 15% regularly checks in at a cool place to show how great their vacation is. Be honest, don't we all secretly do this?
“Appy Holiday”
Although we all say that we want to relax on holiday and leave things as it is, in reality it turns out to be more difficult than expected. Our app behavior shows that we can't let go of our family and friends when we travel. When on holiday, the Dutch are mainly interested in keeping up with social media, reading the news and texting with the home front. So instead of swimming in the pool, we're diving into our smartphones en masse to check out these five most popular types of apps while travelling:
- Social media apps (48%).
- News apps (29%).
- Messaging/email apps (28%).
- Travel apps (28%).
- Music and entertainment apps (27%).
Not busy with home for a while
The Dutch take their smartphone with them when traveling just as often to check social media as to get inspired (31%). When we are on holiday doing what is actually meant to be – namely taking a holiday – we look for information to satisfy our hunger and wanderlust. We are most interested in restaurants and sights. Do you just get hungry from visiting all those tourist attractions? Then you are not alone! Take a look at the most popular content that Dutch people look for on holiday:
- Restaurants and nice markets (47%).
- Places of interest (47%).
- Maps and directions (31%).
- Info about local public transport (22%).
- Museums and art galleries (20%).
- bars (20%).
View examples of previous awards mobiletraveltracker.hotels.com for more information about Hotels.com's Mobile Travel Tracker.
Those Dutch people with FOMO have a justified fear in itself.
They are indeed missing something: their holidays.
Interesting to know.
Still, I find it strange that there is no mention of the 'weather' apps. Personally, I find that very important, even if they are not always correct. But they still give a first indication for the day itself and the days to come, so that you can plan better.
I am also thinking of the communication apps, such as LINE. Also very useful if you are abroad (eg Thailand) and want to talk to family, colleagues or friends. Provided that these people in their home country (or possibly also on holiday) also use this app on their smartphone.
I myself don't think it's a problem, nice and quiet right. If there is something in the family circle, they know how to reach us. Contact once a week is enough for me, I'm not afraid to miss something. Walking around with mobile phones all day I find it annoying, someone else should listen to all those nonsensical conversations.
In Bangkok, a special walking path has been constructed for people who use this soc.media so that others are not inconvenienced or bump into each other.
Maybe I'm very old-fashioned, but I have the impression that the use of the so-called smart phone is often sickly exaggerated. Not only on vacation do you see many people who think they have to be online every minute, this is almost normal behavior in everyday life as well. If you start a discussion about whether this is really normal, you increasingly notice that you belong to a minority. If you look in the city, you see more and more people who, as pedestrians, look so deeply into their mobile that they completely forget the dangers of other traffic. Many young people have Facebook accounts with over 1000 acquaintances every now and then. When you then point out the possible dangers, because their private life becomes visible to everyone, they often think it's exaggerated.
In itself, everyone should decide for themselves how they spend their time, one reads a book and the other cannot lose sight of the smartphone for a second. If, for example, someone likes to use their mobile next to the pool or on a terrace, I don't care, but recently I was in a (quite pricey) restaurant on Phuket (Nai Harn) when a Japanese family took a seat at the table next to us. Father was only paying attention to his smartphone, mother was staring at her XL tablet and the 2 children were also busy with their tablets. Precisely because they were sitting right next to us, I thought that the cozy atmosphere in the restaurant was significantly less. But maybe that's just me?
Indeed leo the fun is sometimes hard to find during a dinner party. Everything is busy with his phone or tablet. There is no longer a conversation, but that is also the case on a birthday. The fun is hard to find. I don't think it's wrong to hand over your mobile. You are obliged to listen in with the others.
Well, before TV came along, about 60 years ago, things were different. Nowadays there is also a minority in the Netherlands that consciously chooses not to have a TV.
The same goes for smartphones, computers, etc. Accept that you belong to a minority.
And realize that you will be thought strange if you don't have one or don't use it. The same thing you now think about people who don't have a TV.
In the past they always carried a thick book with them, which, as Sjon Hauser rightly pointed out, hardly ever dealt with Southeast Asia or Thailand. Today, the digital world suffices. In fact, most people in Thailand do the same thing they would do at home. Or they play pool billiards or watch legal movies or football, or sit at the bar with Westerners every day.
If I read this as a somewhat happy mobile phone illiterate .
It has now become a worldwide disease or even a virus, an old blogger once called them mobile phone zombies.
Fortunately for myself I don't participate in it, a mobile phone was made for me to be able to call.
And to be able to take a picture every now and then.
I think if there will ever be a remake of the movie easy rider .
The leading actor (formerly Peter Fonda) would not throw his watch, but his cell phone, in the sand.
During the opening scene of the movie.
I myself call it mobile phone alcoholism, I think it's even worse than booze alcoholism.
Jan Beute.
It is very important to put good photos, videos and stories from your holiday on your face book or on 1 of all those other social items. Many people enjoy the reactions to this. And completely end up in the right 'oh, it's fantastic here' atmosphere. So you first take a picture of your plate with Cancer and wait for the jealous reactions while eating it. The Lobster only gets tastier with many of these people. It will be 1 explosion of taste. Fortunately, there are apps that allow you to pretend that the sun is always shining instead of images of you washing away. It is actually a form of happiness therapy. Restaurants that temporarily confiscate these devices do not understand a thing. It is about a culinary experience and sharing food in this way is simply part of it. And what do I do myself? I always tell them that calling me at my holiday address is very expensive. Internet also always costs a lot at my holiday address. Basically, I leave my phone off when I'm on vacation. Family does have the address details of my hotel(s) and can find me just fine in case the alarm phase is 3.
Right, it enriches your life, you have extra options. And if, for example, you have been out all day and then eat together and have to wait, it is fine to follow the news or whatever. Will you have something to talk about later? So you see, there are 2 sides to using smartphones.
Actually, the title,,Dutch people suffer from FOMO during their holidays is not correct because it is actually an international phenomenon that has also taken its place in normal life everywhere. You should actually ask yourself whether this can still be called a normal life. Everywhere you see these online Junkies, who actually have no time for actual life anymore, because they are busy with the superficial world of Facebook and Twitter and the like every minute of the day. When young people sit in a new restaurant, you first see all kinds of selfies, so that they can immediately prove to everyone that they are there. People almost make a split to get their face close to the ordered dish, so that the selfie is successful and all Facebook friends can enjoy the ordered meal. If someone now thinks that food is eaten, they unfortunately do not understand social media. Often the first reactions are waited for and answered, and if the food is cold, the food is eaten first. Only the essentials are discussed with the other table companions, who are usually infected with the same virus, so that in my opinion normal conviviality is impossible.
I will not deny that many people are also active online on holiday.
But I think they do it because they like it.
Both the title and the text state that we are 'affected by it'. I seriously doubt that.
The suggestion that it is something undesirable that you want to get rid of is further reinforced by giving it a four-letter abbreviation, which at least evokes associations with various modern syndromes.
That is of course unjustified.
The Internet is a reading book, puzzle book, magazine, newspaper, road map, travel guide, postcard shop, post office, bank, radio, television and walkman, camera, film camera, language guide, and many more things all in one handy and affordable device.
Count the blessings of modern technology!
Oh, then we are an ancient couple. (almost right)
I-PAD does not go on vacation.
Photo can be taken with mobile phone..
Mobile, only for people calling in Thailand or looking after our house.
If something happens during our holiday, I will use the hotel's internet sometime.
But yes, also in some hotels, at least in the Netherlands, you have internet on your TV in your room.
Might come here too I think.
LOUISE