Hotels.com sees new millennial #TravelBrag trend - "BRAGTAG" overtakes the humble HASHTAG as travel becomes the new social currency for millennials

Dallas, Texas – 07 December 2017 –
New research from Hotels.com global Mobile Travel Tracker*, has discovered a new millennial trend, of ‘travel bragging’ on social media to build kudos amongst their friends, and even faux friends on social. Trading in their #TravelBrag for ‘likes’, 30% admit they spend over four hours a day on their mobiles whilst travelling, often more glued to the small screen than the beach scene… #sorrynotsorry.

1 #TravelBrag (Photo: Hotels.com)

When it comes to what social savvy travellers are bragging about on their trips, food snaps (44%) is up there. Travel braggers show off their #foodporn to those stuck at home with their avocado toast, posting weird and wonderful dishes from across the globe. Fried spider anyone?

Being a generation of filter-loving, selfie-stick addicts, two out of three American (66%) 18-29-year-olds admit they would rather upload a selfie than a picture with their loved ones (62%) on holiday #savage. Not only that, 60% of US young travellers admitted to uploading pictures, checking in at cool locations (39%) and tracking the amount of interaction on their posts (32%) for bragging purposes while on vacation.

1 #TravelBrag (Photo: Hotels.com)

The new global research has also proven the long-debated theory that romance really is dead, with 14% admitting they would rather travel with their smartphone than their partner. Travelers even get more anxious when their phone runs out of battery (15%) than if they argue with their partner on a trip (8%).

The research, commissioned by Hotels.com identifies new trends in how mobile technology is used during travel, as it launches its second annual Mobile Travel Tracker Report.