Air New Zealand, in collaboration with a group of former NASA scientists from a research company called Alertness Solutions, completed the first phase of a two-part study of the effects of travel. When the second phase is completed, the study will compare American travelers' perceptions of what happens to them before, during and after a vacation with what really happens to them according to data measured by physiological monitoring equipment borrowed from NASA.
Air New Zealand is calling the difference between the perception and reality "The Vacation Gap." The results of the study will be used to help Air New Zealand and others figure out "how to accelerate, extend and maximize the vacation experience," according to Rebecca Nicol, Air New Zealand's director of marketing for the Americas. Gus Gilmore, vice president of Air New Zealand said the results will be used to "identify and explore new ways to accelerate the vacation mindset and extend it for travelers once they return."
The first part of the study was an online survey recording consumer perceptions of what happens on a vacation. The survey questions were carefully matched with the physiological monitoring process in order to create a basis for comparison between perception and reality. Respondents worked an average of nine to 10 hours and rated their stress levels as "moderate" to "extreme."
Among the results of the questionnaire, nearly 70 percent said they believed doctors should be able to write prescriptions for vacations. More than half said extended time off results in as much as a 25 percent increase in work productivity. Fifty-one percent said they would be willing accept reduced benefits, daily breaks, pay or holiday time if it meant they could have more annual vacation time. Fifty-nine percent said they felt like they were on vacation even before they arrived at the destination, but 51 percent said they begin to feel like they were never on vacation only two days after returning to their normal routines and stress levels. In the second part of the study, 10 travelers were wired with electronic monitoring devices before, during and after the 12-hour flight from the U.S. to New Zealand. While the results of the survey portion are complete, the data from the physiological monitoring will take several weeks to analyze, according to Nicol. For more information on Air New Zealand, visit www.airnewzealand.com.
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About the author: Eric Lam is a Cruise Consultant of Best Cruise Spot LLC, www.bestcruisespot.com
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