The perfect trip for the female Irish holidaymaker is a stay in the Caribbean, with a Range Rover as rental car, actor Liam Neeson as poolside companion, a mojito or daiquiri as the tipple of choice, Tommy Tiernan or Ellen de Generes on hand for comedic company – and no sign of Donald Trump or Katie Hopkins on the flight home!
That’s according to an online survey by Cassidy Travel, who asked over 3,000 men and women what their dream holiday might look like.
Male holidaymakers concurred on the choice of destination, with the Caribbean edging out Thailand and US destinations. Cruises ranked surprisingly highly for both sexes, but while Hawaii appealed to women, men were more drawn to the lights of Las Vegas. Guys gave veteran Billy Connolly the nod for comedic company, and preferred to linger over a cool beer rather than try cocktails.
Lamborghini and Aston Martin emerged as the dream rentals among males, and actress Scarlett Johansson was the beach babe to impress with them, ahead of Eva Mendes, with home celebs Vogue Williams and Amy Hubermann trailing in their wake. Among female respondents, Liam Neeson outgunned Bradley Cooper and Channing Tatum as the beach beau of choice, with our own Conor McGregor, Brian O’Driscoll and Daithi O Se failing to make an impact.
Asked whom they would least like to be seated beside on the flight home, Donald Trump, by far the most common choice among women, was edged out by Jedward among male respondents. For both sexes, media personality Katie Hopkins was close to the top of the ‘unwanted companion’ list. Bono was less popular among women than men, the opposite being the case for Eamon Dunphy.
“The destinations chosen in the survey are reflected in the bookings we see in our stores, with cruises, the Caribbean and even Vegas competing with traditional sun resorts,’ said John Spollen. “The dream holiday is becoming more achievable for more people.”
Cassidy Travel, with nine Travelshops in Dublin, will cater for close on 100,000 Irish holidaymakers this year across its sun holiday, city break, cruise, sports and Classic Resorts long-haul divisions. For 2018, it has launched dedicated USA and Canada programmes.
