HOLIDAYMAKERS will go to extreme lengths to get the perfect travel selfie – including handing their expensive phone over to strangers and taking pictures with wild animals.

A study of 2,000 adults who travel abroad found nearly one in 10 of those who take pictures have even gone as far as standing on a cliff edge to get the perfect pic.

Others have paid for extra luggage allowance so they can take more ‘props’ or multiple outfits, have eaten food they didn’t really like or missed a train or bus.

It also emerged more than half (51 per cent) can’t imagine not taking pictures on holiday, with 21 per cent considering travel selfies to be ‘mandatory’.

And the typical adult will take 14 selfies a day while on holiday – uploading seven images a week onto social media.

A spokesperson for telecommunications company Virgin Media O2, which commissioned the research, said: “After nearly two years of travel being disrupted by Covid, things are looking brighter for holidaymakers this year.

"Whether booking a city break in spring or hitting the beach this summer, our social feeds are set to be full of sea, sunsets and ski slopes throughout the year.

“The ease and convenience of inclusive EU roaming means customers are able to keep connected on holiday without the concern of roaming charges.”

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The study also found natural scenery, glorious sunsets and posing on the beaches are the more favourable selfies taken by travellers.

Of those who take pictures, 77 per cent do so simply for the memories but 17 per cent want to impress their followers on social media.

And 43 per cent plan to post good holiday pictures online – with 36 per cent posting more pics of their holiday activities than they do when they’re at home.

But posting pictures online while on holiday can come with its issues thanks to no access to WiFi (30 per cent), concerns about being charged for extra data (25 per cent) and running out of mobile data (22 per cent).

It also emerged that when using their phone abroad, taking pictures (47 per cent) is the top priority, followed by looking for directions (33 per cent), checking personal emails (28 per cent) and planning day trips (22 per cent).

A spokesperson for Virgin Media O2 added: “Capturing memories and sharing holiday snaps seems to be an integral part of ‘holiday-ing’ in today’s social-media driven world, and we know that keeping connected while away is crucial to our customers."

20 THINGS HOLIDAYMAKERS WILL DO TO GET THE PERFECT HOLIDAY PICTURE

1.         Ask strangers to take pictures of them

2.         Go on a boat trip

3.         Wake up early

4.         Get sunburnt

5.         Stay up late

6.         Climb a mountain

7.         Pose with a wild animal

8.         Stand on the edge of a cliff

9.         Go on a donkey/horse ride

10.       Ride a banana boat

11.       Pay for extra baggage to take things away with them

12.       Pack multiple outfits to be able to show them off in pictures

13.       Buy something they couldn’t afford

14.       Scuba dive

15.       Buy something they don’t really want to eat

16.       Ruin clothes from the experience

17.       Swim with dolphins

18.       Climb a tree

19.       Ride in a hot air balloon

20.       End up ill from not dressing appropriately

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