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

    Press/Media: Expert Comment

    Description

    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.

    Period8 Sept 2017

    Media contributions

    1

    Media contributions

    • TitleOver a quarter of Brits can't imagine holidays without alcohol
      Degree of recognitionInternational
      Media name/outletInternational Business Times
      Media typeWeb
      Duration/Length/Sizeone page
      Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
      Date8/09/17
      DescriptionSenior 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
      Producer/AuthorToureville C.,
      URLwww.ibtimes.co.uk/over-quarter-brits-cant-imagine-holidays-without-alcohol-1638458
      PersonsIain McPhee

    Keywords

    • Alcohol
    • binge drinking
    • Public Health