Worldwide, smartphones are traveler"™ most indispensable items when they travel, even ahead of their toothbrush and driver"™s license, according to the Expedia/Egencia Mobile Index.
The index, commissioned by Expedia.com and Egencia (Expedia"™s business travel brand), was conducted by consulting firm Northstar. It was based on input from 9,642 travelers from 19 countries.
Among U.S. respondents, one-fifth considered their smartphone to be their most essential travel item, on par with the number of respondents who said their driver"™s license was the most important item to travel with. In the United States, those items tied for the most essential item for travelers.
Worldwide, 66% of respondents said smartphones are the most essential item, while 74% considered it an important travel item.
China, Taiwan and Thailand topped the charts on the countries where respondents placed the most priority on having smartphones while traveling; in China, 94% of respondents said they consider their mobile phone an important travel companion. Taiwan saw the same percentage, and in Thailand, it was 91%.
The study also found that worldwide, 84% of travelers said they want to access information from anywhere. Over half, 60%, said they do not "unplug" on leisure trips, and 35% said they use their smartphones more on vacation than at home.
Globally, 60% of travelers said they wouldn"™t go on vacation without a mobile phone, and 63% sleep with their phone next to their bed on vacation…
