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12 October, 2021

STUDY: Almost 70 per cent of Aussies plan to book travel once borders reopen

Protective face mask packed into a suitcase along with clothes and a camera, covid 19 prevention concept.

By Alexandra Coulton

With international borders expected to reopen from November, travel is high on the agenda for millions of Australians, according to new research from Canstar.

The comparison site surveyed 1,094 Australians and found a whopping 69 per cent intend to book a domestic or international holiday – or both – once borders fully reopen.

It looks like Aussies aren’t planning to waste too much time before making travel plans, with seven per cent intending to book internationally and 10 per cent domestically, as soon as borders reopen. Another 11 per cent and 16 per cent respectively plan to book within six months.

“Australians have endured over 18 months of fluctuating domestic and international border restrictions, and many have been forced to put their travel plans on hold or cancel them altogether during this time,” said Steve Mickenbecker, finance expert at Canstar.

“Limited opportunities to spend during lockdowns means some Australians have squirrelled away a stockpile of savings, so we’ll likely see a wave of travel-related spending once domestic and international borders reopen.

“We’re already seeing a swathe of deals emerging to incentivise travel for fully-vaccinated tourists including discounts on airfares, accommodation and holiday packages, which should breathe some much-needed life back into the tourism industry.”

But not everyone has been bitten by the travel bug. Canstar’s research found that 31 per cent of Australians have no intention of booking a trip once borders reopen.

Of those who aren’t planning a holiday in the near future, over a quarter (26 per cent) can’t afford it, while 16 per cent don’t have an interest in travel.

Other reasons include the fear of catching COVID-19 while travelling (14 per cent), other financial priorities (13 per cent) and the potential for future border closures (13 per cent).

“Throughout the pandemic, borders have often snapped shut with very little notice, leaving thousands of people in the lurch, so it’s understandable there’s some hesitancy around booking a trip for this reason,” said Mickenbecker.

“It will also be interesting to see how travel insurance will work in the coming months. Insurers are entering the uncharted waters of providing cover for those who can freely travel to other countries during a pandemic. There’s also the issue of whether an individual’s vaccine status will impact premium and availability.”

Featured image source: iStock/FreshSplash

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booking travel CANSTAR intent to travel research survey