Think your biggest travel risk is a delayed flight? Think again.
A new survey has revealed the surprisingly unhygienic habits travellers are carrying with them on holiday, from tossing suitcases onto hotel beds to stashing personal belongings in germ-filled aircraft seat pockets.
Research by UK comparison site Quotezone.co.uk found many holidaymakers are unknowingly exposing themselves to bacteria in airports, hotels and onboard aircraft, with one of the biggest offenders lurking in plain sight: the hotel TV remote.
According to the survey, 17 per cent of travellers never wipe down the remote control before using it, despite studies suggesting it can harbour more bacteria than a toilet seat.
The findings come as airports and holiday destinations enter their busiest travel period, prompting experts to remind travellers about the hidden germ hotspots they may encounter along the way.
Among the top hygiene mistakes identified were placing suitcases on hotel beds after transit, storing items in aircraft seat pockets, walking barefoot in hotel rooms and failing to sanitise hands after using airport touchscreens or handling passports.
While many travellers are wary of aircraft tray tables and bathrooms, fewer realise the risks posed by seat pockets. Previous research has shown bacteria, including MRSA, can survive on seat pocket fabric for up to seven days.
Quotezone travel insurance expert Helen Rolph said a few simple precautions could help prevent illness from disrupting a holiday.
“Busy airports, planes and hotels can be hotspots for germs and bacteria, potentially causing illness and ruining a long-awaited trip,” she said.
“Regularly washing or sanitising hands and wiping down shared surfaces that may have been touched by hundreds or even thousands of people are great first steps.”
The survey also found 15 per cent of travellers fail to sanitise their hands after handling passports, while 10 per cent neglect to clean their hands after using airport touchscreens or fingerprint scanners.
Top 5 Most Unhygienic Travel Habits
- Forgetting to wipe down the hotel TV remote.
- Placing a suitcase on the hotel bed.
- Storing belongings in aircraft seat pockets.
- Walking barefoot in hotel rooms or on planes.
- Failing to wash or sanitise hands after handling passports, touchscreens or fingerprint scanners.
With international travel booming, experts say a pack of sanitising wipes and a little extra vigilance could go a long way towards ensuring travellers bring home souvenirs – and not unwanted germs.
