28 August, 2014: How harmful can opening the odd email or checking out your Facebook profile be while relaxing on a holiday? An Italian survey has shown that nearly two in five people don’t want to be burdened by the pressure of being constantly connected. 

For those planning to embark on a holiday involving one of the popular river cruises, Italy is a favoured destination. Companies providing these kind of barge holidays report that more and more people are coming around to this way of thinking and, although staying connected is still possible while cruising the waterways, more and more people are beginning to appreciate the “Italian way” and eschewing the practice, in order to fully appreciate the experience of river cruises. Italy, it seems, is leading the way in lifestyle choices yet again. 

Rediscovering the Past 

According to an article in Italy’s version of “The Local”, Italian tourism consultancy JFC has discovered that Italian tourists want to free themselves from the constant barrage of emails and social media posts while on holiday. 

The participants in the study were mostly between the ages of 45 and 64 and were predominantly women working for private companies. It was also noted that a significantly large population of respondents aged 26 to 44 also shared the same sentiments. 

Experts say the participants feel this way for two main reasons: one, they want to rediscover life as it was in the past and two, they want to rediscover the importance of their leisure time during their holidays. 

With the pleasures offered by exploring the waterways of Italy, it’s not hard to understand why the country is leading the way in this respect. This is a country that encourages a more relaxed and casual outlook of life rather than the never-ending hustling that is forced upon other lesser-enlightened societies. 

The survey does, however, note that participants were not totally against having Internet access for the duration of their holiday. Uploading photos and replying to the odd email are still welcome, but the respondents generally sought to avoid social media in general. 

When it comes to relaxed style holidays like river cruises, Italy is one of the most popular destinations to choose. With this shift towards focusing on being “present” in order to gain the most out out of a leisure experience, it’s easy to understand why. 

About European Waterways: 

European Waterways provide luxury all-inclusive boat holidays and vacations in Europe. Contact them at: www.gobarging.com 

For Media Contact:
European Waterways Ltd
The Barn, Riding Court
Riding Court Road, Datchet
Berkshire, SL3 9JT
United Kingdom
+44 (0)1753 598555