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The short answer is according to research yes – travel is the secret to true happiness!

You probably know by now if you read this blog regularly that travelling makes me happy. We took 53 trips last year and I am never happier than when I am flicking through my Instagram feed searching for exotic locations or plotting a trip.  I am definitely one of the  77% of people who book a holiday to cheer themselves up when they’re in need of a happiness boost.

At this present moment I am probably be the happiest person on the planet as I am off to Portugal next week to stay at Martinhal in Lisbon, I’ve just confirmed a week in Corsica with Simpson Travel in July and I am currently spending hours planning two weeks in Rwanda at the end of May.

In global research commissioned by Booking.com, the leader in connecting people with the most incredible places to stay, people revealed that travel gives us such an emotional boost, we consider planning and going away on holiday more vital for our happiness than other big life occasions.  Apparently a holiday brings them more happiness than their wedding day, and 51% of those surveyed say they prefer travelling then going on a date with their partner!

So what is it about holidays or travelling that make people so happy and what sort of travel makes them happy?

The research, which questioned 17,000 people from 17 countries, revealed that for the majority, travel experiences, anything from backpacking, to boutique B&B breaks, family villa holidays, or even exotic and remote retreats, brings more lasting happiness than material things (70%). Which explains why most people (56%) prioritise holidays over possessions such as clothes, jewellery and gadgets while almost half (48%) rank travel over home improvements.

For us the travel experiences can be anything from a camping trip to North Yorkshire in the rain to a glorious half term holiday Portugal  to  skiing or a family friendly villa holiday in Greece.

Whatever type of holiday you prefer – whether it’s a 5-star luxury beach villa or a cosy bed & breakfast tucked away in the countryside – it appears that it is a truth universally acknowledged that travel makes us happy.

Booking.com’s research also reveals that we are not only addicted to actual holidays but to planning and booking our trips too and that over a third of people admit to researching holidays months in advance with an eager 5% planning over a year in advance.

Once we’ve booked our holidays our thoughts then turn to what is to come! Whether that is finding happiness by simply thinking about your holiday, looking at a map or shopping for holiday clothes. Almost eight out of 10 people  say scrolling through pictures of destinations and beautiful accommodations – from apartments to villas, hotels and B&Bs – help them to feel happy in the run up to their holiday – and another six out of ten enjoy continuing to read reviews of the accommodation they’ve just booked.  I do this ALL the time!

So why not plan your next holiday now…. You can search around on this blog looking for ideas if you like or why not head over to Booking.com!

NB: This post was created in collaboration with Booking.com