Travelers would rather bring their smartphone with them over a toothbrush or deodorant
According to a global study from travel site Expedia conducted by Northstar, 66% of travelers said they consider their smartphones the most essential travel item.
Meanwhile, 51% of travelers around the world said their toothbrush is the most essential, and only 23% said deodorant was an essential travel item.
The main reason we want to make sure to bring our smartphones while we travel is to stay connected to the internet, with 84% of travelers saying they want "information [they] may need while traveling."
It makes perfect sense that more people would bring a smartphone on a trip than hygiene products, which are cheaper and easier to buy at your destination than a smartphone. Plus, not even the smartest toothbrush can keep you in touch with family and friends while your abroad or show you the way that tourist attraction.
We should mention that the report doesn't consider passports, which is an essential travel item that travelers might prefer to bring over a smartphone. Still, passports could be considered a given since they're pretty much mandatory for international travel, and it doesn't detract from the fact that we think more of keeping connected than hygiene while traveling.