AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL TREND FORECAST

The News Corp Travel Trend Forecast for July to December 2023 has revealed Australians are casting aside cost of living pressures to continue travelling, but are doing so with an eye on price, gaining the best deals and flexibility.

The forecast provides insight into the 11.9 million Australian travellers who engage with News Corp brands every month.

Four key insights were identified:

• Almost one in three travellers claim cost-of-living pressures have impacted their travel plans and budgets, with 38 per cent of travel intenders feeling they have been significantly impacted by the cost-of-living pressures.
• Australians are increasingly price-driven, with 61 per cent of travellers agreeing lowest price is one of the most important factors when making bookings, and two in three agreeing that price is more important now than it was before.
• Flexibility is firmly back on the agenda, with 68 per cent agreeing flexible booking is more important when booking than it was previously and 34 per cent saying it is one of the most important factors when booking to avoid penalties and loss.
• Dynamics are changing, with many looking to book their next trip further ahead than before – 32 per cent are booking seven plus months out now versus 20 per cent this time last year. Solo and couple travel is increasing in popularity (68 per cent now versus 58 per cent six months ago), while family and group travel has declined (45 per cent versus 60 per cent six months ago).

Consumer trends included a rise in off-season travel, with Australians heading to new destinations at any time of the year, enabling them to explore without the crowds; travellers being focused on growing their relationships and looking for destinations that enable them to connect and share wellness experiences with their loved ones; and television and movie locations are an increasing inspiration for travellers.

Australians are also capitalising on the work-from-home culture to enable themselves to travel for longer, by mixing business with pleasure for an extended time away; while a growing segment of travellers are willing to pay more for sustainability, both through how they pay and what they do.
LEARN MORE

FOLLOW DESTINATION NSW ON LINKEDIN: Stay up to date with all the latest Destination NSW initiatives by following us on LinkedIn. Click here

*Source: Destination NSW