More than half of Brits have booked a holiday inspired by a novel

• The Beach and the Da Vinci Codetop the list of books shaping British holiday choices 
• Italy emerges as the overall literary travel capital for UK holidaymakers

Summer is a time of year when books are closely associated with holiday season – with many publishers and retailers putting forward their suggested lists of essential reads for summer holidays. But the relationship people have with books is more far-reaching than buying a novel for a flight or the sun-lounger. New holiday research from InsureandGo reveals that the majority of Brits (56%) say they have chosen a holiday destination after being inspired by a novel.

Whether it is the lush, mountainous archipelago of the Ionian Islands; the world-class art, culinary experiences and artisan culture of Florence – or the pearly white beaches and clear water of Thailand’s beaches – InsureandGo asked a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults if they had taken holiday inspiration from the books they love.

Of the 54% of people who said they have chosen a holiday destination inspired by a setting of a novel, Alex Garland’s The Beach and The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown came top of the list, with 18% of survey respondents saying it inspired a trip to Thailand or Paris. Women are slightly more likely to be inspired by Alex Garland’s Thai adventure (19% vs 18%), while men narrowly favoured Dan Brown’s Paris-set thriller (19% vs 17%)

Overall, Italy emerged as the literary travel winners, with three of the nation’s top ten  influential travel-inspired books being set in Italy – Pompeii, A Room with A View and The Talented Mr Ripley.

The trend was strongest in London, where 73% of residents said the novels they enjoyed went on to influence subsequent holiday choices. The top holiday-inspiring reads in the capital were: The Da Vinci Code (19%) The Beach(18%), The Talented Mr Ripley (16%) The Summer I Turned Pretty (16%) and Chocolat (14%). Other UK regions where books played a major role influencing holiday choices included; the North West (58%), the West Midlands (57%) and the South West (55%). Books had the least influence on holiday choices for people living in Wales (46%).

The Top 10 holiday destinations inspired by books

1. The Beach – Thailand (18%) and The Da Vinci Code – Paris, France (18%)
2. Pompeii – Italy (16%)
3. Chocolat – France (14%)
4. A Room With A View – Florence, Italy (13%)
5. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Greece (13%)
6. The Talented Mr Ripley – Italy (12%)
7. The Summer I Turned Pretty – USA (12%)
8. Life of Pi – India (10%)
9. Normal People – Ireland (9%)
10. My Family and other Animals – Corfu (9%)

The InsureandGo study found that the influence of books on travel decisions was strong across all age-groups. Nationally 48% of the over 45s cited holidays inspired by books (their top choice novel being The Beach) – and this rose to 72% among the under 25 age group, whose top choice book was Pompeii.

Garry Nelson, Head of Corporate Affairs at InsureandGo comments: ‘’Books have always had the power to transport us to another place, but increasingly they are inspiring people to experience those destinations for themselves. What’s striking is that novels continue to influence travel decisions in an age dominated by social media and streaming services. 

“A great book can be the beginning of a great holiday. Whether it’s a beach in Thailand, a piazza in Florence or the streets of Paris, stories have a unique ability to turn destinations into must-visit locations. As travellers bring those literary adventures to life, it’s important not to overlook the practical side of planning too. At InsureandGo we aim to make it easy for people to get the cover that best fits their needs. Having appropriate travel insurance in place means if the unexpected happens, your holiday story can remain one with a happy ending.”