The new big trend in domestic travel

So often, we find ourselves writing about beautiful international destinations.
From Europe to Canada and Fiji, these are places on everyone’s bucket list.
But one thing we don’t write enough about is Aussies travelling domestically.
Luckily, thanks to some new research, Aussies are begining to travel not merely domestically, but into regional Australia.
Roughly 77 per cent of regional Australians and 73 per cent of city-dwellers visited a non-city destination in the past year according to new research from Kantar TNS.
And regional travel is even more attractive in 2018.
80 per cent of regional-dwellers and three-quarters (74 per cent) of those living in cities are intending to visit a non-city destination in the next 12 months.
The findings headline Domesticate 2018 – the 12th annual syndicated study into the travel attitudes of Australians and outlook for the domestic travel industry by Kantar TNS; but the major insight, says the company’s Director of Travel and Leisure Ed Steiner, is that the key to making a regional destination stand-out is to stop talking about ‘regional’ travel.
“People don’t think about regional destinations as brands. Marketers must be especially wary of language and talk about ‘experiences’ not ‘destinations’.”
“What is resonating with travellers about regional travel is the true diversity of experiences on offer.”
The key to unlocking a destination’s potential is emphasising the right combination of experiences that are unique to a place and its surroundings, adds Steiner.
“People’s need to constantly refresh is a consistent driver of their travel.”
“Escaping the ‘every day’ is vital and getting away from crowds is now the second most important motivator of intrastate travel after relaxation.”
“Australia is a short-break destination, yet we are competing with longer holidays to Fiji, Bali and New Zealand.”
“The impending Easter Long Weekend and upcoming school holidays are popular times for families, especially to explore their great Aussie ‘backyard’ and regional operators must promote their experiences first if they want to capture that market share.”
“Overwhelmingly, we found through our qualitative research that for Australians, it is what they can do at the destination that really counts, says Steiner.
“Travellers are drawn to experiences, which means destinations cannot be a one-trick pony.”
“In particular, Indigenous culture and post-settlement are motivators of regional travel – Australians want to learn more about our people, our past and our land.
“From delivering experiences that extend into the evening to leveraging the sounds and sights of nature, it’s all about optimising relaxation. Indigenous cultural experiences will also drive repeat visitation.”
Holidays are now considered an essential expense for Australians to ‘escape’ their city life. Short breaks alleviate stress, more so if outside cities, but regional marketers must get more savvy to cut through the clutter.
In 2018, the top five domestic travel experiences being considered by regional Australians are beach/coastal (64 per cent), metro/city (50 per cent), food/wine (40 per cent), national parks (38 per cent) and events/festivals (36 per cent).
For city-dwellers, it is beach/coastal (57 per cent), metro/city (47 per cent), food/wine (42 per cent), national parks (32 per cent) and a tie for fifth between small towns and events/festivals (both 29 per cent).
Interestingly; hills/mountains, rivers/lakes and bush/outback all rated greater than 20 per cent for both regional and city residents; while adventure also tipped the scale at 23 per cent for regional dwellers.
Regional Australians are also finding metro/city experiences less appealing this year (down from 59 to 50 per cent), the snow has more than doubled for both groups (from six to 15 per cent) while rivers/lakes are going to be more frequently visited by regional Aussies in 2018 (up to 33 per cent from 22 per cent).
The influence of all traditional travel influencer channels also fell in 2018 with the exception of word-of-mouth.
Destination websites fell to 30 per cent from 38 per cent in 2017, special packages and online offers to 27 per cent from 34 per cent and online review sites to 23 per cent from 31 per cent.
Critically, over half (54 per cent) of Australians also think most information on social media is unreliable compared to just 27 per cent of their APAC neighbours, adds Steiner.
“We are finding that Australian travellers are far more cynical when it comes to what information they consume and act upon using social media.”
“In fact, half of Aussies (49 per cent) feel the branded content on social media is not even relevant to them compared to a quarter (26 per cent) of APAC travellers.”
“This means it is absolutely crucial that content planning is not simply based around the reach of a network.”
“Brands not only need to improve the way that content relates to their customers in the moment, but they also need to work harder to build trust.”
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
@australia aussies regional research travellersLatest News

TravHost launches expert hosting service to transform industry famils
TravHost offers a pioneering service bridging the gap between media professionals, travel agents and tourism organisations, addressing the demand for exceptional famil hosts. Founded by seasoned travel media professionals Fiona Harper and Carolyne Jasinski, TravHost is poised to revolutionise the way tourism organisations and travel companies approach famils. With decades of experience in tourism and […]

Book big and bag a spot of the TTC Tour Brand’s Top Achievers’ Famil
TTC Tour Brands’ Top Achievers Famil incentive is back, rewarding top-selling agents with the chance to embark on an unforgettable trip to a destination that remains a secret – for now. Agents who have sold any Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Costsaver and Contiki, from 1 December 2024 to 14 March 2025, go into the […]

New Zealand International Convention Centre to open in February 2026
The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has announced it is opening its doors to New Zealand and world conferences and events in February 2026. The long-awaited NZICC is set to transform New Zealand’s conference and events industry, boosting visitation and the wider economy with its world-class facilities. Located in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, […]

AmaWaterways invites AU/NZ travel trade to An Evening with AmaWaterways events
AmaWaterways has announced the dates of its upcoming An Evening with AmaWaterways events for travel advisors, just over a year after it entered the Australian and New Zealand markets. Dedicated to travel advisors, the events will be held in six cities and will be hosted by AmaWaterways’ regional sales managers, plus feature a presentation from […]

Mooloolaba cruise season boosts Sunshine Coast tourism and trade
Mooloolaba is set to welcome a series of cruise ships through February and March 2025, significantly boosting local businesses and tourism to the Sunshine Coast. Their arrival is expected to create a vibrant atmosphere and provide a substantial economic uplift to the region. Viking Sky kicks off the season on Sunday 8 February, with 930 […]

Little Pete Brewing opens first of its kind open-air bar
Little Pete Brewing has opened a new open-air bar at 543 Step Rd, Langhorne Creek, a must-visit South Australia destination for a drink with a view. The first-of-its-kind open-air bar sits on 8ha, surrounded by vineyards and paddocks, with the Bremer River flowing nearby and framed by majestic ancient river red gums. “We always felt […]

CENTREPIECE is set to make a splash at AIME 2025
CENTREPIECE is set to make a splash at AIME 2025 with a one-of-a-kind activation that showcases their world-class event capabilities to inspire event planners and decision-makers. CENTREPIECE is located in the heart of Melbourne & Olympic Parks, Victoria’s epicentre for live sports and entertainment and home to world-renowned venues including Rod Laver Arena, AAMI Park, […]

NYC Tourism + Conventions announces two exciting new events
NYC Tourism + Conventions has announced ‘NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025’ and ‘Value Family Activities’ events lined up for this year. NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025 2-for-1 ticket sales for this event have begun with this season’s program featuring 29 Off-Broadway performances, including 18 new participants. The twice-yearly program runs from 17 February through 9 March with […]

Engine delays plaguing Air New Zealand as carrier set to suspend Incheon-Auckland route
We never liked being at the back of the queue, and this is a big one to jump.

Australia’s aviation future takes flight: An exclusive with Simon Westaway
As you walk through your next Australian airport, from ABX to YWYY, remember this face, he may be there.

Destination Vancouver brings World Chef Exchange event to Sydney
We are sure that with Mark Best in the kitchen, there was more on offer than poutine and fries.

Jeju wins bid to host 2028 Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has successfully secured the 14th Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC14) for Jeju in November 2028. This was achieved in partnership with the Korean Society of Microscopy, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju Convention Bureau, and Jeju International Convention Center. Korea was selected as the final host after strong competition at the 13th […]

Envoyage-hosted National Travel Group joins Luxury Travel Collection
As this market continues to grow, make sure you get along to our own Travel Weekly Luxury Roadshow.

Airports Council International labels Newcastle Airport most sustainable in Australia
Newcastle says it will be the green gateway into Australia, maybe the football team needs some new colours to match.

Vintage Rail Journeys’ unique Bathurst Race’N Rail packages now on sale
You might not get there as fast but you are guaranteed to save on fuel on the way there.

Patricia Piccinini’s skywhales return to tour Australia
These freaked us out when we first saw them, almost as bad as the contents of the fridge after we returned from leave.

David Fraser returns to Accor as VP of operations for Sofitel Pacific
We hope Monsieur Fraser is catching up on his French as he will no doubt be dealing with HQ.

A foodie adventure at Disneyland Resort in California: Snack Attack on the Go
As far as levels of cuteness go, Disneyland Resort's Mickey beignets take the cake or should that be churros.

Minor Hotels unveils Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur, its first property in India
Treated like a Raj for a few hundred a night, we like the sound of that. Just don't mention the cricket.

Four Seasons announces new luxury resort and private residences in UAE
These resorts are built on reclaimed land made with sand, fortunately there is plenty of it.

Oceania Cruises sets new standard for onboard dining: one chef for every 10 guests
Oceania Cruises, renowned for The Finest Cuisine at Sea, has set a new standard for onboard dining with an exquisite new menu evolution in The Grand Dining Room. Launching on its newest 1,200-guest ship, Allura, in July 2025, the reimagined menus introduce over 270 brand-new recipes, from curated Signature Eggs Benedict breakfast selection to a chic French […]

MSC Cruises announces MSC World Asia Webinar
Let's hope the words 'You are on mute' will never be uttered ever again.

Legendary Italian hotel, Il San Pietro di Positano, opens new clothing and accessories boutique
Anyone planning a trip to Italy this northern summer should leave room in their Louis Vuitton luggage.

AAT Kings’ NT boost with air credits
AAT Kings really dominates travel in the Top End and news like this only adds fuel to the fire.

Camino Women and Laos’ Khiri Travel announce new mountain trail for Australian women
Responsible tourism starts with one foot in front of the other. This trek sounds like there are a few more steps.

Thousands of dollars worth of prizes on offer through ATIA’s ‘Rockstar Renewal’ campaign
Of course it's nice to be called a rockstar, but we'd like to be a part of the superstar surge personally.

Sally Miles joins Linkd Tourism’s trade team
Having lived in the US and Japan, Sally will no doubt thrive in this role!

Maximise your Emirates journey with complimentary hotel stays in Dubai
Any freebie is a good freebie, but a free hotel in Dubai has to be pretty high on the list.

Celebrity Xcel unveils ‘The Bazaar’ set to transforms onboard experiences
No word if Xcel will make its way to Australian shores - we'd expect koala cuddling and kangaroo boxing.

CT Partners expands focus on business meetings and events
AIME is looking like it will be bigger than Ben Hur... it was a movie? Charlton Heston? Never mind.

South Africa’s The Royal Portfolio appoints Nigel Pace as executive head of sales to ultra-luxury portfolio
First job on the list is to visit all the luxury properties in the portfolio. Next, he'll be perusing all the menus...

Radisson Hotel Group concludes record-breaking year
40,000 keys is a lot of keys. We wonder if there is a master key to all of these.

Countdown underway for 2025 Visit USA Expo in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne
The two-week countdown is on, but we've been counting down for nearly 50 weeks since the last one!

WA Labor commits $500,000 to a study for future Broome cruise passenger terminal
Given the emerging popularity of cruising in this part of the world, another stop is welcome.

Maximum Occupancy New Zealand conference to return to Auckland in March
If we were to take a stab in the dark we'd say this one's all about getting those rooms full... Just a guess!

NRMA’s Turtle Sands Nature resort officially opens
For some of us, sometimes there is a bit too much nature. Try explaining to the little ones why mum buries the kids.