IN CO-OPERATION WITH AUTOEUROPE.SE
Did you know that the average Swede argues five times, reads 2.8 books and drinks 70 alcoholic beverages while on holiday? The car rental company Auto Europe has commissioned a study on Swedish holiday habits among a thousand adult Swedes. The results are really interesting, and now I'm curious... Do you recognise yourself in "the average Swede"?
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We travel far and spend a lot of money
The study shows that Swedes travel an average of 3,835 kilometres to reach their destination and spend SEK 56,489 including flights, accommodation and pocket money on a two-week holiday.
The average distance is longer than to Spain, but this is explained by the fact that many people also travel to distant destinations such as Asia and the USA. The holiday fund sounds extremely high I must say, but maybe we Swedes spend so much money on our travels?
We sunbathe and update social media
According to the study, we sunbathe for three hours a day, starting at 11am. Every day we spend 3.2 hours playing with our mobile phones or iPads, of which 2.6 hours are spent checking or updating social media such as Facebook and Instagram.
Despite this, we still have some time to read 2.8 books! Personally, we have to say that we recognise the issue of spending a lot of time on social media. We both like to read, but it's been a long time since we've had time for it, unfortunately.
We drink and eat - a lot
You want to indulge and eat extra well (and a lot!?) on holiday. The study shows that Swedes consume an average of 70 alcoholic drinks, such as beer, wine and cocktails. Half do not keep track of what they eat and one in five eat more than 500 calories more than at home. We haven't done the maths, but we agree that it's easy to have a bit more wine and good food on holiday.
We argue, complain and love (maybe)
The study shows that 29 %s have a cosy bedtime during their holidays, 27 %s have no cosy bedtime at all and 7 %s have so much 'fun' they can't even keep count. But it's not just cosy on holiday! We Swedes argue an average of five times, complain about the heat ten times and get lost so we have to ask for directions three times ...
Auto Europe is a car hire company that works with international car hire companies such as Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz, offering car hire worldwide. Check out their infographic showing our Swedish holiday habits!
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How do Swedes travel? - Vagabond's travel barometer 2022
Popular destinations in 2023 - according to Ticket Collection
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Across the board says:
Hahah it was a fun compilation. Of course we eat better than at home but I actually lost weight during our 5 weeks at the beginning of the summer 🙂
27 July 2017 - 7:11
Helena says:
It sounds like a successful concept, to both eat better and lose weight (if that's what you want to do) 🙂 !
27 July 2017 - 8:04
4000mil says:
Hehe, we never argue, I'm happy if I get through ONE book and we definitely don't complain about the heat! 🙂
27 July 2017 - 7:40
Helena says:
It's nice not to fight! We almost never argue either. The only time we raise our voices during the holidays is in dramatic traffic junctions in big cities, when we get stressed, haha 😉.
27 July 2017 - 8:08
Mr Frank Olsen says:
Nice overview.
I think there can't be much difference between Swedes and Norwegians here.
But I think the amount is very high, surely this must be for a family of four? Otherwise, a family of four would spend 220000 kroner, which is completely unthinkable. But holidays, that's fun?
27 July 2017 - 7:50
Helena says:
It is not clear what the price is for, but I also think it must be for a family. Alternatively, how about answering what the whole trip cost, whether there are two or five people, and then averaging it?
27 July 2017 - 8:10
Ann-Charlotte says:
Very expensive holiday! I don't play in that league. But I do read, at least one book a week during my holiday.
27 July 2017 - 8:16
Helena says:
We don't play in that league either. But there are only two of us, and I guess that's true for a family ...
27 July 2017 - 19:37
Ann-Charlotte says:
We are four ... ?
27 July 2017 - 22:43
Mr Steve says:
How liberating, I am not an average Swede.
27 July 2017 - 8:49
Helena says:
That discovery can be liberating at times 😉.
27 July 2017 - 19:38
Ditte says:
I don't recognise myself at all here, but I'm probably not average at all.
It's a fun report, but the starting point is statistics ...
27 July 2017 - 9:37
Helena says:
There's nothing wrong with not being average... And of course, statistics are statistics! 😉
27 July 2017 - 19:39
Goatfish says:
I don't recognise myself as average.
What I spend time on is looking around and taking photographs. I want to remember and then compile at home.
But the report can probably be true for many 😀 fun reading!
27 July 2017 - 9:50
Helena says:
We also spend a lot of time photographing. Compiling both during the trip and at home 🙂
27 July 2017 - 19:40
Snows says:
We don't argue and I read far more books than that! But I think that many people have extremely high expectations for their holiday and if it doesn't go as planned or if the joy doesn't materialise, anything can happen. Divorces increase in number just after vacations have been observed for a long time ...
27 July 2017 - 11:19
Helena says:
I think you have a point there, Znogge. You've worked hard and long and then finally ... everything is supposed to be fantastic! High expectations can probably ruin a lot of things ...
27 July 2017 - 19:41
åsa in åsele says:
During "holidays" I read less than I do during my everyday life at home,
When we're out in a caravan, I put my energy into socialising, doing things with my family.
But of course there is a lot of unnecessary eating 😉 I who do not eat sweets, snacks in everyday life eat a lot... chocolate is good 🙂.
We are currently travelling with a caravan,
or we are standing still... we have been at Sollefteå Camping since Sunday 🙂 .
27 July 2017 - 12:54
Helena says:
It sounds nice to be a little more social during the holiday! 🙂 Wish you a continued great holiday with the caravan!!!
27 July 2017 - 19:42
Therese says:
Wow, there wasn't much I recognised myself in. Thinking about my and my husband's last trip, we got lost more, argued less, did not complain about the heat (more than the time when we thought it felt like a good idea to go on a hike in the middle of the day in 40 degrees and almost got (got?) heat stroke..Tip: It's a bad idea).
It drank significantly less alcohol - the question is whether we even got up to that on 2 people for 7 weeks. Lying and sunbathing for three hours, we probably did not even do a total on the whole trip and not a book was read... However, there were a lot of experiences, hikes and excursions 🙂 Guess you can more easily recognise yourself if you go on a typical charter trip and not like us who prefer to do road trips and the like.
27 July 2017 - 14:45
Helena says:
Thanks for your comment Therese! I think, as you say, that it is easier to recognise yourself if you go on a typical charter. But it sounds like you have many wonderful experiences during your travels, and that is most important! 🙂
27 July 2017 - 19:44
Husis blog says:
Oh, yes, some of it was true. For the owners, it probably depends a bit on which holiday it is, regarding e.g. weight, books, money etc. What is positive when they are out with me is that they also move a lot as they want to explore the local areas as well. Not just the place I'm standing on. If they go abroad on a charter trip, for example, it will probably be mostly lying on the beach, taking a taxi or bus between different attractions.
The books are written by the female owner and the man listens to podcasts.
They certainly don't consume that much alcohol, it sounded like a lot.
But a very interesting summary you have put together.
27 July 2017 - 17:50
Helena says:
The best thing about a motorhome is that there are new places to explore all the time! 🙂 Interesting that the man listens to podcasts instead of reading. Many do, but I have not really got into it. Maybe it will come in the future 😉
27 July 2017 - 19:46
Matts Torebring says:
Most people know it before, I am not a "Dozen" person. Not a single thing more than maybe the computer was right. (Now I understand why so many people talk about long beds, which I hate).
27 July 2017 - 18:38
Helena says:
Haha, what a funny comment! But it can be good not to be a dozen people, I think 🙂
27 July 2017 - 19:47
Lisa in the village says:
Nice to read how we are during the holidays. But I don't recognise us at all.
Of course there is some wine, and the occasional beer, and lots of good food, but we don't travel much at all. We don't argue much, but we can have differences of opinion, and that's another matter. The car hasn't travelled many miles this year during the holidays, not last year either.
During holidays, we enjoy the time off, eat and drink well, in other words, enjoy the good things. Meeting family and friends.
This year my husband doesn't want to go on a holiday at all, but to stay at home and help his daughter and family with their house renovation work.
Be well! Hugs
27 July 2017 - 19:33
Helena says:
I think it sounds like you have a nice and relaxed approach to your holiday, and that's probably the best part! Have a great time!
27 July 2017 - 19:48
Alexandra says:
Yes, I do recognise myself in some things... and some not. Our trips are not that expensive, but we are not so many in the family either ... if you are 2 adults and about 3 children, you may have to expect that price. We definitely eat more unhealthy when we're on holiday... but 70 alcoholic drinks... I don't think I'll even reach that in a year?
27 July 2017 - 21:55
BP says:
I can safely say that I am not an "ordinary" citizen here. Far from it. But one exception: I don't have FB or Instagram, but I do spend a few hours online. Mostly commenting on blogs. Throwing up a post yourself doesn't take more than maybe 20 minutes, but you want to comment with everyone on the list as well.
27 July 2017 - 23:11
Christine - 29°. says:
Hi, hi! Great info. 🙂
29 July 2017 - 11:06
Steel city anna says:
No, I don't recognise myself at all 🙂 I spend less, drink less, are on the internet less or not at all and eat less and I have a pretty bad mood all year round 🙂.
30 July 2017 - 15:52
Maria's Memoirs says:
I don't recognise myself much, I have to say, half-smoker and budget traveller that I am... 😉 Then I am Finnish, but Finland-Swedish is close enough 🙂 .
31 July 2017 - 9:14
Lena & Jan says:
Nice with "eternal holiday" it seems expensive, according to this statistic, giggle giggle! ? ? ? ?
Too many Swedish municipalities do not realise the profitability of parking spaces for consumer motorhomes/pensioners/tourists ? ?
31 July 2017 - 10:22