Do you need to drink to really enjoy your vacation? Over a quarter of Brits can't imagine holidays without alcohol

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Senior Lecturer at the University of West Scotland's Centre for Studies of Alcohol and Drugs, Dr Iain McPhee, spoke to IBTimesUK. He thinks it should come as no surprise that people drink more when on holidays: "It signals that it is time off the clock, me time, and represents time which should be enjoyed, beyond formal surveillance associated with work and employment." Given alcohol is marketed as a way to relax and have a good time, it also "signals that one is open to opportunities for enjoyment."

For McPhee, there's definitely a correlation between being away from everyday life and feeling free from judgement: "Few people can condemn or judge bad behaviour outside of where we live and work, then this is also why drinking to excess is attractive." Hence why Brits indulge in alcohol a bit more than they normally would.

He also points out that the issue goes deeper than just an occasional boozy holiday. A big part of how much Britons drink has to do with how they view alcohol to begin with. Dr McPhee explains that contrary to other cultures, British people are used to opportunistic and random drinking sessions where the point of drinking is to become intoxicated. It's what's usually called "binge-drinking."

In short, Britons tend to drink with the aim of getting drunk. And they drink more when they're away from home because they're free from any potential remarks or judgement. Because alcohol is marketed as a tool to enhance one's fun, British tourists on holiday feel they are vindicated to indulge.