As travel specialists, we at Oyster have decided to bring back the essence of what it means to experience a location and the true beauty of cultural diversity. With National Selfie Day officially being recognised as the 21st June, we thought it was a good time to launch our #DitchTheSelfie campaign that encourages travellers to rein in their holiday selfie habits in favour of genuinely enjoying being in the moment.
We polled of over 1000 people and found out some astonishing facts. For example, did you know that 51% surveyed took between 1-10 selfies during an average one week holiday? And that 35% of those asked said that posting on social media and getting a like was something that contributed to their selfie happiness? A further 10% admitted selfies were a means to show off their holiday to social media followers, and that they felt it necessary to get as many snaps as possible in as short a time frame as possible.
Oyster urges travellers to step away from the pressures of selfie snapping. Stop rushing from spot to spot tallying up head shots and take time to enjoy the culture, people and breath taking landscapes. Take in the present rather than conforming to the pressures of selfie must-haves for the future.
If you’re taking part in any of our Oyster projects then there won’t be time for a self in sight! The opportunities to get involved with the local community through teaching, childcare, medical support and conservation projects are limitless. Contribute to animal welfare by getting stuck in and mucky through worthy volunteer projects, or travel overseas on a paid work programme and experience what it is like to live as a local.
Our volunteers enjoy once in a lifetime experiences and regularly comment on how handling baby monkeys in South Africa, taking in the soundless beauty of Thailand’s underwater coral reefs or standing in front of the Sydney Opera House were moments they would remember forever. Setting off to work by skiing down a mountain, coming face to face with great white sharks or meandering silently through Chile’s spectacular glaciers will be forgotten on a home feed thread, but never in memory.
So join us and pledge allegiance and support through our #DitchTheSelfie movement that is launching today!
Find out more about all of our Oyster programmes and why not get involved yourself?
