Inflatables in the pool at a sunny Spanish holiday hotel. — Photo by Hotels.com
Hotels.com opens Inflatable Sanctuary for abandoned pool inflatables. See SWNS story SWINFLATE; This is the scene as the summer holiday season draws to a close - thousands of abandoned inflatables, once loved, now considered redundant by their former owners. A ‘sanctuary’ for discarded inflatables... — Photo by Hotels.com
Hotels.com opens Inflatable Sanctuary for abandoned pool inflatables. See SWNS story SWINFLATE; This is the scene as the summer holiday season draws to a close - thousands of abandoned inflatables, once loved, now considered redundant by their former owners. A ‘sanctuary’ for discarded inflatables... — Photo by Hotels.com
  • Half of all British holidaymakers purchase a pool inflatable however only 28% take them home at the end of the trip
  • As the summer season ends, thousands of lost, discarded and lonely inflatables are floating around holiday resorts all over the world
  • Hotels.com launches the world's first Inflatable Sanctuary, allowing guests to adopt abandoned floatation devices

2017 has seen the popularity of the pool inflatable really blow up. From flirty flamingos, ubiquitous unicorns and plentiful pizza slices, social media has been awash with holiday makers showing off their poolside moments with their inflatable friends. New research[1] from Hotels.com® reveals that almost half of UK holidaymakers have bought an inflatable for their holidays, with this number inflating to 58% when it comes to millennials.

But this craze has resulted in a host of abandoned inflatables left feeling deflated at the end of the season. Hotels.com captured the distressing scene above after the research revealed barely more than a quarter of holiday-goers pack up their poolside pals and bring them back home at the end of a trip and almost one in five abandon them at their hotel.

Inspired by the plight of these left-behind inflatables, Hotels.com today unveils the world's first 'Inflatable Sanctuary'. The Inflatable Sanctuary will ensure that discarded Peacocks, Palm trees and Pegasus' can continue their poolside playtime as well as give them the opportunity to find a home for life.

Isabelle Pinson, Vice President, EMEA at Hotels.com brand said: 'A pool inflatable shouldn't just be for summer which is why we're launching an adoption programme for these lost and rejected flotation devices. We've teamed up with the Hipotels Gran Playa de Palma to set up an inflatable sanctuary, where guests can adopt and reuse left behind inflatables, giving them a new lease of life.'

Hotels.com guests that book into the Hipotels Gran Playa de Palma in the next three months can make use of the adoption service to not only give these inflatables a second outing, but also eliminating the need to purchase and pack one in their baggage.

Although Brits aren't particularly good at taking care of inflatables post-holiday, a fifth admit most of their getaway is dominated by inflatables - either blowing them up or enjoying them in the pool. The research of 2,000 holidaymakers found an average of six hours and 52 minutes is spent playing with an inflatable during a typical summer break, revealing we spend more time relaxing with our inflatable friends that we do enjoying watersports, hitting the local nightlife, or trying to pull a holiday romance.

Whilst Instagram feeds and celebrity snaps might suggest the unicorn or the flamingo is the hottest accessory to have around the pool this year, the research reveals that it is actually the doughnut that is the most popular amongst us Brits. The traditional 'classic lilo' is the second choice and crocodile-shaped inflatables come in at third place. When given the choice of which inflatable they'd most like to purchase next year, holidaymakers chose the dragon.

Among the things most commonly left behind or lost during a holiday, inflatables came second only to suntan lotion. Other belongings left behind during trips away include sunglasses, travel adapters and underwear.

ITEMS MOST COMMONLY LOST OR LEFT BEHIND ON HOLIDAY:

  1. Sun cream
  2. Inflatables
  3. Pairs of sunglasses
  4. Toiletries (including toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shower gel)
  5. Magazine
  6. After-sun
  7. Novel
  8. Goggles/snorkels
  9. T-shirt
  10. Towel

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