New research from the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia has revealed that nearly 23 per cent of Aussies are cancelling or postponing their winter travel plans due to fuel concerns.
Among those travellers who had planned a winter getaway (42 per cent), more than half have changed their plans because of fuel prices and availability.
TTF CEO Margy Osmond said the findings showed many Australians still wanted to travel, despite uncertainty over whether they could afford or confidently plan a road trip.
“Australians are telling us they want to travel, but they also want confidence that they can plan and budget for their journey,” Osmond said. “Making fuel information easier to access would help more travellers get on the road and support regional communities.”
She noted that when travellers postpone or cancel a road trip or domestic holiday, there can be a ripple effect throughout regional Australia.
“Regional tourism operators have done it tough over recent years and they shouldn’t be losing business because travellers lack confidence in something as fundamental as fuel,” Osmond added.
The nationally representative survey of more than 1,000 Australians conducted in the past week found fuel concerns are discouraging more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of Australians from taking a drive holiday.
Fuel price was ranked as the leading concern, followed by fuel availability and then access to reliable information on fuel costs and availability while travelling.
However, 65 per cent of Australians surveyed said they would be more likely to take a road trip in regional Australia if they could easily access information about where fuel was available and prices along their route.
Margy Osmond said the findings reinforced the tourism industry’s call for a nationally consistent fuel information platform to give motorists real-time information about fuel prices and availability across the country.
“It’s encouraging that state and federal ministers have already discussed a national fuel information platform and recognised the value it could provide to travellers,” Osmond said. “We now have an opportunity to work together to turn that support into a practical tool for Australians planning their next trip.
“Australia has no shortage of incredible regional destinations, but travellers need confidence that they can get from A to B without unnecessary stress, uncertainty or surprise costs.
“A single national fuel information platform would be a practical, common-sense solution that gives travellers greater certainty and helps get more visitors back into regional communities.”
The research also highlighted broader winter travel intentions among Australians, including plans for ski and snow holiday trips in the months ahead.
It found 18 per cent of Australians plan to book a ski or snowboarding trip this winter, with the most popular destinations being Thredbo in NSW (4 per cent) and overseas (4 per cent).
The next most popular destinations were Perisher in NSW, as well as Falls Creek and Mount Buller in Victoria (3 per cent each), followed by Mount Hotham in Victoria.
