New research by an online travel agency in the UK has revealed that two fifths of Britons have seen a celebrity whilst on holiday abroad; with ‘actors/actresses’ the most likely members of the rich and famous to be spotted on holiday, followed by ‘sports stars’ and ‘reality TV stars’. Of course on my own travels, you might remember a few of my celebrity meetings down the years…like the day I met Roger Federer in Melbourne!
The day I met Roger Federer in Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Holidays may be an opportune time for celebrity-spotting according to new research by an online travel agency, which has revealed that two fifths of Britons have seen a celebrity whilst on holiday abroad. The research has also revealed types of celebrities that British holidaymakers are the most likely see while on their travels. Not surprisingly, sports, music and film stars are the most likely.
If you check on the Sunshine website at www.sunshine.co.uk , these guys have conducted the poll as part of ongoing research into the holiday experiences of Britons. 1,929 people aged 18 and over from around the UK took part in the poll, each of whom had been on a holiday abroad in the last 12 months. Everyone taking part was asked about their last trip overseas.
Yes that’s me and Roger Federer in Melbourne! Flying the Northern Ireland flag in front of him!!
Initially, all respondents were asked if they had ever seen a celebrity while on holiday abroad, to which two fifths of those taking part, 39%, said ‘yes’. These people were then asked what their spotted celebrity was best known for, to determine what kind of famous people Britons were most likely to catch a glimpse of while on holiday. Respondents could select more than one answer if they’d seen more than one type of celebrity.
According to the results, the top five types of celebrity most likely to be spotted on holiday are as follows:
1. Actor/actress – 37%
2. Sports star – 29%
3. Reality TV star – 21%
4. Singer – 18%
5. TV presenter – 15%
When asked what country they had visited when they had seen a celebrity on holiday, the most common answer was ‘USA’ (27%), followed by ‘France’ (24%) and ‘Spain’ (16%).
USA – common place for celebrity spotting on your travels.
Everyone taking part was asked if they had ever booked a holiday to a destination after hearing that a celebrity had spent time there, to which 13% said that ‘yes’, this had been a deciding factor when choosing a holiday destination.
Chris Clarkson, Managing Director of sunshine.co.uk, said the following:
“Celebrities need their holidays too and, let’s face it, they get to have more than most, so it is inevitable that some British holidaymakers will bump into a famous face abroad every now and again. You’re probably more likely to spot a celebrity in more upmarket destinations and luxury resorts, but also if they’re filming in certain locations or away on business. Keep your eyes peeled and, you never know, you may get a signature or two!”
Here are some ‘celebrities’ I have met on my travels:
Ruud Gullit (Hong Kong)
Roger Federer (Australia)
Gwyneth Strong (England)
David Healy (Austria)
Safe travels and you never know who you will meet!