Travel agency creates instrument so holidaymakers can keep away from their neighbours whereas overseas
Package holiday firm On the Beach has invented an online tool for holidaymakers to make sure they won’t bump into their neighbours while they’re abroad. It analyses UK bookings
It aims to help people avoid their neighbours(Image: Getty Images)
An online tool has been invented for holidaymakers to check if their neighbours are heading to the same place before they book. New research from On the Beach found that for millions of Brits dread bumping into the people next door while abroad.
The travel firm created an ‘Avoid Your Neighbours’ tool which analyses hundreds of thousands of bookings from across the UK. When users enter a postcode, town or city search it will tell you where your most likely to bump into locals.
The survey revealed that more than half of Brits (54%) would deliberately avoid booking a destination if they knew their neighbour was going there while 42% describe seeing their neighbour on holiday as their worst nightmare.
Many people describe it as their worst nightmare(Image: Getty Images)
And more than a third (37%) said they don’t even tell their neighbours where they’re going in case they decide to book the same trip. On the Beach’s holiday expert Caspar Nelson dubbed the tool an ultimate last-minute hack to help punters have a peaceful hols.
He added: “Running into your neighbour in the supermarket is one thing, running into them at the swim-up bar is a national emergency.
“We thought it was about time someone did something about it and that’s why we’ve built a tool that helps you dodge your neighbours before you’ve even packed your suitcase. It’s probably the closest thing we’ve got to a crystal ball for holidaymakers.”
The firm says it’s expecting thousands of people to use the tool as they book last-minute getaways this summer. Nearly half of Brits said they would change their booking if they realised their neighbour was staying at the same hotel at the same time.
On the Beach said that, to make sure no one is left sharing the breakfast buffet with the people next door, it has introduced a special summer ‘Norris Clause’. Named after Coronation Street’s famously nosey character Norris Cole, the clause means that if a customer’s next-door neighbour has booked the same hotel through the package holiday company for overlapping dates, they’ll be able to swap to another available trip of the same value without paying amendment fees.
Mr Nelson added: “The Avoid Your Neighbours tool is your first line of defence. The Norris Clause is the backup plan. If it looks as though your neighbour is gatecrashing your holiday, we’ll make sure that you are given s second option, in another destination entirely.”
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