The formula for the perfect holiday

It's official: The perfect company coupled with a romantic sunset plays a fundamental role in the eternal holiday memory. Researches at the British institute Mindlab International undertook research on behalf of German travel agency Lastminute.de, and discovered that the decisive ingredients for travelers are:

Company (22 percent)

Time (17 percent)

Place (15 percent)

Activities (11 percent)

Uniqueness (19 percent)

Noise (9 percent)

Weather (6 percent)

Visual impressions (5 percent)

Smells and tastes (5 percent)

For the study 600 people were interviewed online. Additionally, neuropsychologist David Lewis-Hodgson and his team hypnotized subjects in a laboratory in Brighton as part of the survey, measuring skin reactions.

As a result the team discovered that a beautiful sunset was the single most determining factor of a memorable holiday, with 37 percent of people surveyed affirming its importance. Only 7 percent recalled a lazy day spent by the pool.

Differences between women and men were also measured, with the latter drawing more positive connections with memories of music and smells, both with resoundingly positive associations. For women, the place and activity were of more relevance - the notorious tango in an old town restaurant.

"The most precious memories in our laboratory tests almost always had something to do with the most important people in the lives of the subjects, such as the partner, the family or good friends. So people are crucial in creating memories," David Lewis-Hodgson summarized of the results of the study.

ot/ak/jt (lastminute.de, Frankfurter Rundschau)