Press Release | 23 Jul 2021

Lockdown brings out the wild side of wannabe thrill-seekers searching for alternative holiday adventures

New research reveals adventurous activities are on the rise, with a surge in demand for rock climbing, paragliding and windsurfing.

As millions of Brits try to plan their summer holidays and outdoor activities, new research from Vodafone has found that thousands are searching out adventurous activities to feel a sense of freedom this summer.

The research revealed that one in five of us is hoping to try something new. 42% said they’re looking forward to rock climbing, with 20% of those polled saying they have always wanted to try it, while 40% want to try their hand at paragliding.

The last 18 months seems to have created a desire to try new experiences, with 39% interested in surfing and windsurfing, and over half (55%) revealing they want to explore the great outdoors and experience hiking.

After a year of travel bans and holiday restrictions, over half (58%) of those asked said they’re planning to go on holiday this summer, with 54% of those opting to holiday in the UK.

And to help you keep track of the things you love the most while on holiday, Vodafone has introduced new features to its Curve tracker – the multi-purpose, detachable device designed to brave the elements. So, no matter where adventure calls, you can be connected to the things you love.

As well as embracing their wild side, travellers are also taking more technology on their trips than ever before. The average British family takes £1,160 worth of tech with them on holiday. With high-value products in tow, many will worry about keeping track of them as they explore their holiday destination.

image of a Vodafone Curve tracker being used in Dorset

Credits: Vodafone

Credits: Vodafone
Vodafone’s Smart GPS Tracker, Curve, seen in Dorset. Curve provides reassurance when keeping track of belongings while on an adventure.

The research highlights that over a quarter (28%) of respondents admitted to losing a personal belonging while on holiday, with 40% saying they had spent hours looking for a lost item. This resulted in 80% admitting they would now consider putting a tracker on their prized possessions so they can keep tabs on their valuable tech at all times.

Unlike many other trackers, Curve uses multiple tracking technologies including GPS, WiFi, Cellular and Bluetooth so you’re covered for all environments. It can be used to keep track of your belongings such as bags, laptops and cars, as well as your pets.

Men were more likely to be reassessing their bucket lists, with 44% saying that they now want to go on a round-the-world trip, and a third of them (33%) saying they want to explore more. This compares to just 17% of women who said they would go on a global trip.

A further finding was a surge in ’mature campers’, with one in five (20%) of 45-59 year olds planning to go backpacking on their next holiday, with over a third (34%) saying this would be a new experience for them.

New features for Curve now include ‘Beep to Find’, ‘Share Location’, ‘Get Directions’, and ‘Multi-User’ access, to provide a more reliable connection to your favourite things and giving extra reassurance for post-lockdown adventures. The new features will be launched via the app.

image of James Pearson a bike

Credits: James Pearson & Vodafone

Credits: James Pearson & Vodafone
Professional Climber, James Pearson, takes on the mountains post-lockdown and explores the great outdoors with Vodafone’s Smart GPS Tracker, Curve. Curve provides him the reassurance of keeping track of his belongings while he discovers his next adventure.

Max Taylor, Consumer Director, Vodafone, said: “After over a year of staying at home, it is no wonder so many of us are now longing for a holiday, and that aspiring travellers want to take on more adventurous trips. But of course, while enjoying our new freedoms, we don’t want to risk losing the things we love and have come to depend on more and more – from our pets through to our tech.

“Curve’s sleek design means it can subtly clip on to your belongings, and keep track of your prized possessions.”

James Pearson, Professional Climber, said: “I am so glad to be back doing what I love; being outdoors and climbing. I tend to travel with a lot of equipment, so Curve helps me to keep track of it whilst I’m on the move, and it gives me that extra reassurance whilst I’m travelling.
“It also means that if I’m with my wife we can both use Curve to track our own equipment (and each other’s) as it comes with a multi-user feature.”

Curve’s new features unveiled:

  • Bluetooth Proximity and Beep to Find – used when your phone is within a 15m Bluetooth range of Curve, pinpointing its location down to 5m. A visual indicator in the app shows the closer you get to the item, with beeps to follow to find it faster.
  • Get Directions and Share Location – enabling you to share Curve’s location with your contacts, and follow directions to its pinpointed location via your chosen navigation app.
  • Multi-User function – allows you to add up to nine guests in the Vodafone Smart App, great for dog owners or a group wanting to track the same item.
  • Alexa Skill (coming soon) – allows you to access your Curve’s location, battery level and change tracking mode via Alexa without needing to open the Vodafone Smart App.

Restrictions around addition of contacts may apply. Zone notification frequency, battery life and features dependent on tracking mode. Subject to Vodafone network coverage and GPS signal. For land-based tracking only. Connectivity subscription required and Terms apply. Vodafone Smart SIM works in over 90 countries. See FAQs for more info.

About Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed-line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester and now have 5G in locations across Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain as well as the UK. Meanwhile, our 4G network coverage currently reaches over 99% of the UK population.

Today, Vodafone serves more than 18 million mobile and fixed-line customers in the UK. Vodafone is the largest provider of full fibre in the UK – our superfast broadband services are now available to nearly 12 million homes across the UK.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do: as of 1 July 2021, 100% of the grid electricity we use in the UK is certified to be from renewable sources.

For more information about Vodafone UK, please visit: www.vodafone.co.uk.

Vodafone UK Media Relations

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