It’s official: Travel is the no. 1 activity Aussies like to spend on

International banknote background for global currencies concept for money exchange business
By Alexandra Coulton


New research shows that one in three Aussies prefer to spend on travel, over all other pursuits including dining out and shopping.

Clearly, travel is now an important part of the Australian lifestyle.

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Probably not that kind of travel lifestyle, but you get the gist.

A survey from travel search engine KAYAK conducted a survey to find out the travel spending habits of Aussie travellers, uncovering the new stats.

“Since Aussies are farther away in the world from hotspot destinations than anyone else, there’s every reason for Aussies to want to save on their holidays,” Robin Chiang, Country Head of Australia & New Zealand, KAYAK told us.

“We don’t think this takes away from the quality of their holidays, since our data shows only a few Aussies consider meals and snacks, going out and transport worth saving on during their holidays.”

The survey also indicates what Aussie saving habits are like when they travel. Interestingly, accommodation is where Aussies look to save money on their holiday (38 per cent), followed by shopping at their new destination (37 per cent) and plane tickets (36 per cent).

Meanwhile, only a quarter of respondents will look for a cheaper alternative when it comes to going out (26 per cent) or sightseeing (22 per cent). However, when Aussies are travelling, close to two-thirds are willing to spend extra on eating out, compared to when they are back home.

When saving before a holiday, only half of Australians (53 per cent) set money aside regularly and just one in three (34 per cent) hold back on shopping and going out to boost their holiday fund. One in 10 (12 per cent) however sell their belongings online or at flea markets in the lead up to their trip for a little extra holiday cash.

Surprisingly, 15 per cent of Aussies admit to not thinking about money whilst they are on holiday, and as many as one in five (20 per cent) admit they don’t have any specific saving plans in place for their holiday.

“We’re seeing more and more searches by Aussies on our site every day, and it’s just testament to the growing desire for travel and how travel has now become an important part of lifestyle,” said Chiang.

“We can only assume that Aussies love travel because they want to experience something new and exciting.”

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