Pop star Adele is the passenger we would most like to sit beside on a plane, according to a survey carried out for World Travel Market London – the leading global event for the travel industry, released today (Monday 6 November) at the event.
Known for hits such as Hello and Someone Like You, the singer topped the poll, ahead of Jodie Whittaker – the new Doctor Who – in second place.
The chirpy cockney songstress scooped 28% of the vote but might have scored more highly among nervous flyers if she hadn’t sung about Skyfall.
The new Doctor Who received 21% of the votes when 1,025 holidaymakers were asked who they would prefer to sit next to on a plane.
Perhaps the rest of the respondents thought she should be travelling by Tardis instead.
Third in the poll was Kit Harington, aka heart-throb Jon Snow in hit TV show Game of Thrones. He recently announced his engagement to co-star Rose Leslie, who played his love interest Ygritte, famous for her catch-phrase: “You know nothing, Jon Snow.”
Passengers might like to ask him about the eighth and final series of Game of Thrones in the hope that Jon Snow does know something.
Politicians appeared further down the ideal companion rankings, with UK Prime Minister Theresa May winning 10% of the vote, and US president Donald Trump on 7%.
However, they were both ahead of Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Bieber, who scored just 4%.
Intriguingly, Mrs May got 20% of the vote in the same WTM London poll last year, while Mr Trump received just 3% in 2016.
World Travel Market London’s Paul Nelson, said: “It’s great to see a down-to-earth celebrity such as Adele is the favourite in our poll of fantasy flight companions.
“She would certainly be very lively company at 30,000 feet.
“We were particularly surprised to see Donald Trump higher up the rankings than Justin Bieber – perhaps the President has more potential for inflight entertainment, or maybe we just didn’t ask enough ‘Beliebers’.”
Is this seat free?
Who would you like to sit next to on a plane? (1,025 respondents)
Adele 28%
Jodie Whittaker (new Doctor Who) 21%
Kit Harington (Jon Snow in Game of Thrones) 13%
Theresa May 10%
Donald Trump 7%
Justin Bieber 4%
Not sure/don’t know 25%
-ends-
About World Travel Market
World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises five leading B2B events across four continents generating more than $7bn of industry deals. The five events are:
WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. Around 51,500 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL – London every November generating around £2.8 billion of travel industry contracts. http://london.wtm.com/. Next event: 6-8 Nov 2017 – London.
International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) now in its 20th edition, is the meeting place for the global B2B golf travel community. More than 600 golf tourism suppliers join 350 pre-qualified buyers and 100 international press for four days of unmissable pre-scheduled appointments, exclusive networking opportunities and invaluable industry and trend updates. Taking place in a different destination every year, IGTM brings together 1,400 golf tourism professionals from over 65 countries. http://igtm.wtm.com/. Next event: 11-14 Dec 2017 – Cannes.
World Travel Market Latin America now in its fifth edition attracts about 9,000 unique senior executives. The event generates US$ 370 million of new business. Taking place in Sao Paulo Brazil, this show attracts a global audience to meet and shape the direction of the travel industry. More than 7,000 unique visitors attend the event to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry news. http://latinamerica.wtm.com/. Next event: 3-5 April 2018 – Sao Paulo.
World Travel Market Africa launched in 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. Nearly 5,000 travel industry professionals attend Africa’s leading inbound and outbound travel and tourism market. WTM Africa delivers a proven mix of hosted buyers, media, pre-scheduled appointments, on-site networking, evening functions and invited travel trade visitors. http://africa.wtm.com/. Next event: 18-20 April 2018 – Cape Town.
About Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is the leading, international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2017 attracted almost 40,000 industry professionals, agreeing deals worth US$2.5bn over the four days. The 24th edition of ATM showcased over 2,500 exhibiting companies across 12 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre, making it the largest ATM in its 24-year history. www.arabiantravelmarketwtm.com Next event 22-25 April 2018 – Dubai.
About Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face to face through data and digital tools at over 500 events a year, in more than 30 countries, attracting more than 7m participants.
About Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether it is global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have over 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.