Holiday luggage contains £1.9 billion of kids' gadgets
Long gone are the days of entertaining kids with books, toys and board games. These days it appears children are far more interested in which gadgets they'll be allowed to take on holiday with them.
New research shows that on average, children's holiday luggage will contain gadgets worth £1.9 billion this year and each child under seven will take around £364 worth of technology on holiday.
Family gadget insurer Protect Your Bubble have revealed that families will pack around £2,215 worth of gadgets in their suitcase this summer despite the fact there's a one in 10 chance they will get stolen, lost or broken.
See also: British holidaymakers waste £684 million on things they forget to pack
According to research, over 50 per cent of parents rely on technology and gadgets to distract their children while travelling and nearly half wouldn't consider getting on a long haul flight without technology to keep the kids occupied.
But, it's not just older children and teenagers who are relying on technology either, nearly half of children under the age of seven will take tablets worth at least £90 on holiday, while more than a third pack smartphones.
Perhaps the most shocking statistic is the amount of time children are spending on these pieces of technology. Kids from the UK will spend, on average, two hours a day playing on their gadgets while on holiday, and more than 10 per cent spend four hours playing. What happened to splashing around in the sea before heading on to the beach for a game of Happy Families?!
Top tips for keeping gadgets safe:
1. Your technology and gadgets are much safer in your hand luggage rather than hold luggage
2. Don't leave them unattended while you're soaking up the sun or taking a dip in the pool
3. Lock gadgets away in the hotel room safe or at reception
4. Understand that the single article limit on your travel insurance may not cover the true value of your tech and gadgets
5. Make sure you choose a policy that covers you worldwide as standard
Stephen Ebbett, global director of Protect Your Bubble, advises that parents need to ensure they have the right insurance and says: "Gadgets have become an essential part of the holiday checklist. There's no doubt they are invaluable on long journeys to keep children happy and quiet, and parents sane. But July is our biggest month of year for claims, and it's no accident this coincides with the summer holiday getaway."
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