A new study from leading global creative solutions company, McCann Worldgroup, has revealed that the UK is travel-obsessed, with 94% of Brits believe everyone needs to escape occasionally and 80% of us stating we’d change our lifestyles to travel more.

82% of Brits believe travelling is the best form of escape, although we’re a nation divided when it comes to our approach to holidays. 1 in 4 Brits wish aeroplanes included a child-free zone to enhance their travel experiences and we’re split when it comes to the question of planning, with half of Brits wanting to make a detailed holiday itinerary and half of us preferring to go with the flow. 

Despite our differences, 80% of us believe that travelling is about companionship and sharing joyful moments and almost 70% of Brits agree that travelling makes up some of the best experiences of their lives. 

In fact, 85% of Brits would rather splurge on their escape destination as opposed to the journey. And while our desire to escape is deeply emotional, it is also a burgeoning economic force. The global “Escape Economy” worth an estimated $9.7Trn – of which, $3.2Bn sits in the Travel & Tourism industry. And while McCann Worldgroup’s ‘Truth About Escapism’ study revealed that most of us are dreaming of holiday getaways, it also showed that how we travel is changing.

Christian Johansen, president, McCann Worldgroup, Europe, UK and Israel, and chief client officer, EMEA said, “Escapism is a universal human desire, that we’ve tracked to be on the rise in recent years. Travel has always been one of the most beloved forms of escape – which is great news for the travel and tourism industry. But escape isn’t just about the destination anymore, it’s a mindset that people flow in and out of as they seek escapes of all shapes and sizes. 

Global travel and tourism is worth an estimated $3169Bn and brands that are offering a spectrum of escapes – from immersive experiences to small moments of freedom – will be best placed to capitalise on the growing escape economy.”  

Jess Francis, research director, McCann Worldgroup Truth Central, added, “As we found in our research, there is plenty of opportunity across the landscape of escapism for brands today, the challenge will be finding the right balance of facilitating escapes while also still being engaged with the world. So how can your brand provide the relief people are so desperately seeking from current events, without having them totally disassociate from reality?”

With our escapes no longer confined to annual holidays or major events, the study suggests that brands can’t just rely on providing the travel or getaway. Instead, travel and tourism brands looking to capitalise on the escape economy should tap into an idea of “airport rules” to provide a sense of joyous liberation that will help consumers break free of their routines and access their own ‘escape mode.’ 

The executive summary containing more key findings and insights derived from the study can be found here.