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3 June, 2020

STUDY: More than half of Aussies are keen to get travelling in the next six months

Upper view of modern woman in white pants and striped blouse at modern home in sunny summer day packing first aid kit and SPF in open travel suitcase.

By Alexandra Coulton

New research has revealed that Aussie travellers are ready and raring to go travelling within six months of restrictions lifting.

The research is based off a survey conducted by travel PR agency Anne Wild and Associates (AWA) for its clients to give insights into consumer’s willingness to travel as restrictions begin to ease.

The results revealed that not only are 69 per cent of respondents hoping to travel within the first six months of restrictions being lifted, but over 50 per cent are also keen to travel for two weeks or more for their next holiday and 74 per cent are keen to spend just as much as they did pre-COVID-19.

As expected, 76 per cent of respondents said they will most likely travel domestically for their first holiday after restrictions are lifted. In terms of which states they would like to visit first, Queensland (34 per cent) topped the list, closely followed by New South Wales (31 per cent) and then Tasmania (11 per cent). 10 per cent of respondents nominated Victoria and Western Australia, and 4 per cent The Northern Territory.

Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of respondents said they will travel internationally for their first holiday after restrictions are lifted. Pre-COVID-19, Europe (75 per cent) was the most popular international holiday destination for respondents, with just 20 per cent nominating Oceania. While Europe still ranked the highest (58 per cent) as the preferred international region for post-COVID-19 international holidays, Oceania was a close second (53 per cent), with Asia rounding out the top three (36 per cent).

When asked what would influence their destination choices in the future, 50 per cent cited the number of COVID-19 cases as a key consideration and 49 per cent said the health and safety protocols of the operator or accommodation provider would also influence booking decisions.

In terms of accommodation, respondents said they would most likely book for their first holiday, 73 per cent said they would book a private apartment or villa, 56 per cent said they would book a boutique hotel and while 52 pr cent said they would book a resort.

Negative reporting doesn’t seem to have put too much of a dampener on cruising, with more than a quarter (27 per cent) indicating they would either definitely or may consider taking a cruise.

As we head into winter in Australia, unsurprisingly a tropical experience was nominated by nearly half of all respondents, while 41 per cent said a luxury stay would be topping their holiday choice. 36 per cent will be seeking family-friendly and/or multi-destination experiences, with others seeking something more active such as a walking/hiking (24 per cent) or snow/skiing (23 per cent) holiday. Other experiences nominated included road trips (23 per cent), health and wellness (15 per cent), eco-tourism/sustainability (12 per cent) and gastronomy (10 per cent).

While pre-COVID-19 most respondents said they usually booked travel independently (61 per cent), post-COVID-19, 81 per cent said they would or may consider booking a resort package holiday, while 57 per cent said they would or may consider booking a group package holiday.

Over 25 per cent said they would be more likely to use the services of a travel advisor post-COVID-19.

In terms of where respondents seek travel inspiration, traditional print and broadcast media continue to rank highly (56 per cent), as well as online media (51 per cent) and online booking review sites (48 per cent). However, most survey respondents (85 per cent) rely on the advice of friends and family for inspiration when planning holidays.

The agency surveyed a sample of over 350 Australian residents ranging from 18 to 65-plus years about their travel decisions pre and post COVID-19. Key survey questions focused on favoured destinations, when travelling would resume, expected length of trips, and travel experiences most likely to be sought, as well as key factors that would influence future bookings.

Featured image credit: iStock/CentralITAlliance

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