Continental Tyres
Written: Tuesday, April 14, 2009THE PERFECT FAMILY DAY OUT
NEWS COPY - WITH PICTURE OF FORMULA
Parents wanting a stress-free day out with the kids should leave home at 8.37am and travel no more than 52 miles, experts revealed yesterday (Sun).
Researchers found the ideal day trip will also require around six-and-a-half hours at the beach, theme park or zoo with the children taking part in at least three different activities.
The temperature during the day should be a balmy 20C and a party of two adults and two children around the age of eight will also ensure the day is enjoyable.
It also emerged that a family should spend #5.50 on souvenirs such as a novelty pen, T-shirt, cuddly toy or stick of rock and should return home at 5.50pm.
The stats - which were also converted into a formula of [(T+J) / D x (G+W)] - S = 1.0 - were compiled following a study of 2,000 families by tyre maker Continental to launch their www.ContiGreatDaysOut.co.uk initiative.
Peter Robb, head of research at Continental, said: ''In the UK we embark on 104 million family days out a year and spend over #6 billion in the process, so it makes sense to consider how to make a success of every trip we plan.
''In trying to have the best time possible the choices we make about what time to leave, the stops we make and the activities at our destination will all influence the outcome of the day.''
Experts also factored in the number of toilet stops - one 27 minutes into the outbound journey and one 35 minutes into the trip home.
The actual perfect distance emerged as 51.6 miles - which was deemed far enough away to feel like a day trip, but not too far to travel with restless kids in the backseats.
One ice-cream each for the children and a total cost of no more than #59 as well as a total time for snack breaks of 47 minutes, completed the criteria.
Polling people on their ideal day-tripping habits, four in 10 said they would be travelling in a hatchback, with nearly half (47 per cent) favouring pop as the music to listen to in the car.
Fruit pastilles were hailed as the ideal treat for the journey, followed by mints and hard-boiled sweeties.
For 22 per cent, in-car entertainment would include a DVD player, followed by a Nintendo DS and iPod to keep the kids occupied.
The research found the majority of respondents (22 per cent) reckon the beach is the most popular resort for a day trip, followed by a theme park (19 per cent) and a zoo (11 per cent).
The majority (56 per cent) of Brits opted for taking snacks as well as buy venue food to munch on and a third (32 per cent) packed everything they would eat and drink for the day.
Peter Robb added: ''The research proves that if we travel further and spend more we are likely to find more to do. The formula balances whether that extra time and cost is worth it.
''With www.ContiGreatDaysOut.co.uk we are helping families by pulling together details of around 300 days out that are offering great value and lots to do.''
The research found London, Blackpool and Bournemouth as being the most popular places to visit in the UK.
On average families have on average six days out a year together and children fire off their first: ''Are we there yet?'' after just 28 minutes of being in the car.
FORMULA BREAKDOWN
[(Time + Journey) / Destination x (Group + Weather)] - Spend = 1.0
T = Time - the optimum start/travel time and time at destination = 1.0
J = Journey - the optimum journey experience = 1.0
D = Destination - the optimum number of activities at destination = 3.0
G = Group - the optimum group size and composition (2 adults and 2 children) = 4.0
W = Weather - the optimum temperature and weather (20C and clear and bright) = 1.0
S = Spend - the optimum spend (of #58.26 and incremental steps of #25) = 2.33
The first element (T, J and D) covers the time, the journey and whether what is available at the destination is worth the effort and time to get there.
Secondly, (G and W) accounts for the people you are with and the weather. Finally, (S) factors in the cost and value.
A score of 1.0 or more is a 'Perfect Day Out' or better and a score of less than 1.0 is not as good and the day out will be less enjoyable.
ENDS
