Research has revealed how travel has changed for the younger generations – as over a quarter of Gen Zs (28%) reveal they have never even sent a postcard from a trip away.
The same number of 18-24-year-olds have never visited a travel agent, or studied a physical map to help them get around a foreign place – and 39% of this age group have never captured their holiday moments using a camera that required film.
As a result, the poll of 2,000 adults, who have travelled abroad, found that 27% of Gen Z adults admit to poking fun at older generations, like their parents, for the way they prepare for an overseas trip.
Other things that have never factored into travel for younger adults include foreign language phrase books, a “Rough Guide” guide book, and traveller's cheques.
And 17% have never worried about using mobile data while away, according to the research, commissioned by SMARTY – which has also created this quiz, to discover how switched on you are when it comes to getting about on your travels.
Elin McLean, general manager at the mobile phone operator, said: “Travel has changed a lot, even in the last decade or so.
“People of a certain generation will remember that it doesn’t feel all that long ago that the inflight entertainment was limited, while meals on board a flight were free.
“But there are lots of other subtle changes that have happened to the way we travel – many of which have come about due to the launch of the smartphone.
“Our phones are an all-in-one map, translation guide, wallet, weather forecast, currency calculator, guide-book, and more. It can be a real lifeline, but when we can’t use our phones, we are – sometimes quite literally – lost.”
The research also found over a third of millennials (37%) have done just that, and got lost on a trip abroad – which is more than any other generation.
And 29% of people admit they’d lack confidence in going on holiday if they weren’t able to access mobile data while they were there – with this going up to 38% for data-dependent millennials.
As a result, older adults leave nothing to chance, with 18% of 55-64-year-olds claiming they are “not spontaneous at all” when it comes to booking travel.
Some of the nightmare anecdotes by people who couldn’t use their phone abroad include one person who was propositioned in Amsterdam after getting lost in the red-light district.
Another was taken to the wrong hotel after being unable to find their booking details, and one person whose cards were declined couldn’t access online banking to fix the issue.
Omid Djalili, comedian and ambassador for SMARTY mobile, said: “I, too, have had a few embarrassing data-less moments on holiday.
“Those moments are the times when you really regret not having a back-up plan for your rudimentary Spanish or basic map-reading skills! Having data roaming while travelling in Europe makes life so much easier.”
Across all age groups surveyed, 22% have been on holiday without giving a thought to currency exchange rates.
And more than a tenth (13%) of those polled, via OnePoll.com, have gone away without even thinking about sorting travel insurance.
Elin McLean at SMARTY mobile, which includes EU Roaming up to 12GB, added: “Mobile phones are a must-have in every traveller’s pocket. They have taken the place of language books, sightseeing guides, cameras, and so much more.
“But many of these things are totally reliant on mobile data – which is why it’s important to make sure you know what your roaming packages are before you head abroad.”
