• by Tanya Gazdik , June 27, 2016

Despite good intentions, 55% of travelers who intend to unplug from their digital devices on vacation are unable to do so. 

That’s according to a global study by Intel Security. The bad news is that travelers are a lucrative and easy target for cybercriminals who capitalize on their unwillingness to disconnect.

Intel Security warns that not taking the proper precautions can put private financial information at risk and give criminals access to sensitive and confidential work documents and personal family details that can be mined from social media channels.

Roughly 65% of U.S. respondents define being unplugged as having no Internet usage at all, while half said being unplugged means they did not make any phone calls.

“Digital Detox: Unplugging on Summer Vacation” also revealed that 47% of men said they would leave their phones behind, while 37% of women said that they would; 68% of people admitted to checking their personal and work email at least once a day while on vacation — putting private company information at jeopardy. The survey revealed that 49% of Millennials are more willing than Generation X and Baby Boomers to leave their smartphones at home while on vacation.

Intel Security advises the importance of having a secure Internet connection when looking at sensitive information, says Gary Davis, vice president, global consumer marketing with Intel Security.

“WiFi is becoming something of an expectation to travelers, so having WiFi at the pool and the beach could actually help people relax as they can quickly check email on a secured connection and then get back to their vacation,” Davis tells Marketing Daily. “For those in the travel industry, secure WiFi can be a strong selling point. The average person is much more aware of the dangers of unsecured WiFi, so offering a secure connection can show customers that you are going the extra mile to make sure they feel safe and comfortable during their stay.”

The survey also found that 65% of participants claimed their vacation was more enjoyable after unplugging. They felt less stress and were able to better absorb their surroundings. Roughly 88% of Americans admitted it did not stress them out to be unplugged from work and life back at home. And 51% of those who unplugged reported they connected better with travel partners because of it.

Americans are the least successful at abstaining from work emails (49%) while on vacation compared to Singaporeans (61%), Canadians (60%), Germans (59%), Mexicans (59%), the French (56%), the Dutch (54%), Brazilians (53%), and Spaniards (52%).