Omio, the global multi-modal booking platform, has found that 22 percent of Brits are less likely to visit a destination if they can’t confidently pronounce its name, while 30 percent avoid booking altogether.

Veronica Diquattro, the president B2C Europe at Omio, said: "At Omio, we believe travel should feel exciting and accessible, not intimidating.

"With so many incredible destinations reachable by train, bus, ferry or plane, we want to give people the confidence to explore beyond the obvious."

In response to the research, Omio has joined forces with language expert Alex Rawlings to launch a pronunciation guide to help Brits to travel further with confidence.

Veronica explained: "We know that even small barriers, like unfamiliar place names, can make travel feel daunting, so pairing up with Alex to produce the guide will help keen travellers to discover new destinations with ease."

Alex hopes that his tips will prove to be really beneficial for British travellers.

Alex said: "Pronunciation can feel like a barrier, but it doesn’t need to be perfect. The key is to focus on the sounds rather than trying to replicate every letter exactly.

"Breaking words into smaller parts and practising them slowly can make a big difference. Even a small effort is often appreciated by locals and can help travellers feel far more confident when exploring a new destination."

Omio's research also found that 26 percent of Brits fear being embarrassed by their own pronunciations, while 30 percent are worried about sounding rude.

A relatively meagre 13 percent of Brits are turning to travel professionals for expert help, according to the study, which also found that 42 percent rely on AI tools, and 19 percent turn to social media for pronunciation support.

The trend extends beyond the British borders, too, with four percent of travellers in Italy, five percent in Spain and seven percent in Germany confessing that they also avoid overseas destinations simply because they can't pronounce the name.