SYDNEY, Australia, 10 May 2023 - Winter is coming–and so is a busy travel season, according to Tripadvisor's* latest Seasonal Travel Index. With two in three Australians eager to get away this winter, the quarterly Index reveals insights into when, where and how Aussies plan to travel between 1 June and 31 August.
Appetite for travel is strong despite rising cost of living pressures, as 43% of Aussies plan to travel more this upcoming season than they did last winter. Affordability remains a top priority, however, as travellers seek out the best deals for their winter getaways, with city escapes and beachside holidays proving popular.
Key insights:
International travel is surging: More Aussies are dusting off the passport to head overseas this season, with Tripadvisor’s Seasonal Travel Index revealing a big jump in international travel compared to previous months. 43% of Aussies plan to travel internationally this winter, up from just 28% in Tripadvisor’s recent Autumn and Summer Travel Indexes, and only 22% who planned to travel internationally last winter. With London (#1), Paris (#3) and Rome (#7) amongst the top 10 most popular destinations for Australians this season, the European summer escape is back in full swing.
Affordability is top of mind as travellers sniff out the best deals: When looking at the most important factors influencing trip planning this winter, cost/affordability is the top priority for Australian respondents (71%), followed by trip length (47%), then trip type (35%). Despite this, half of Aussies plan to spend more on their biggest trip this upcoming season compared to last winter, while 41% plan to spend about the same.
While Aussies continue to cut back on household spending, it seems a holiday is too important for most to sacrifice. Just 29% said macro-economic factors will change how they travel this winter, with ‘higher cost of living due to inflation’ the dominant reason for altering plans. How will travel plans be impacted? 40% will vacation closer to home, 38% will take shorter trips and 32% will take fewer trips.
Hottest winter destinations revealed: As host to upcoming major events like Vivid Sydney and the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, it’s of little surprise that Sydney is the number one domestic destination for Aussies this winter, followed by Melbourne. Queensland is proving popular for travellers looking to escape the winter chill, with Cairns, Port Douglas and Brisbane rounding out the top 5 most popular domestic destinations, followed by Darwin.
For the 43% planning to travel internationally, it’s all about chasing the sun. In addition to European capitals of London and Paris, popular Asian destinations like Singapore and Bali’s Legian and Seminyak are amongst the top 5 most popular travel spots for Aussies.
Top 10 most popular international & domestic destinations for Aussies this winter:
Japan continues to captivate Aussie travellers: When looking at the top trending destinations this season (with the strongest year-on-year growth in demand on Tripadvisor), Japan continues to stand out as a hotspot for Aussie travellers. Known for its hot springs, natural beauty and iconic views of Mount Fuji, the picturesque region Hakone-machi is the top trending international destination this winter, followed by Shimogyo in Kyoto and Chuo in Tokyo. Other trending destinations include the island havens of Apia, Samoa, the lively harbourside capital of Samoa, and Kathu, Thailand, home to the famous Patong Beach.
Alice Jong, Research and Insights Senior Analyst, Media at Tripadvisor commented: “With so many eager to get away this season, early planning and booking are vital to secure preferred accommodations, flights, and experiences. With many consumers conscious of cost in the current climate, a little flexibility during the planning process can help to drive down the price of their trips. For example, when we look at the top international destinations over the next three months, Paris hotel prices are lowest from the week of 26 June to 2 July, while 12 to 18 June is the most affordable week to visit London.”
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Methodology
The data cited in this release was gathered and analysed from two key sources:
A Tripadvisor Consumer Sentiment Survey, based on data drawn from an online survey of over 2,400 consumers, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted between March 17-27, 2023 across six countries - Australia, Italy, Japan, Singapore, U.K. & U.S.
Site behavioural data sourced from first party traffic data on the Tripadvisor platform, gathered between January 10 2023- April 10 2023, for searches made by travellers in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Japan and Singapore for travel between June 01 through August 31, 2023.
Authors
This report was compiled by Tripadvisor’s research (Alice Jong) and communications (Duncan Skehens) teams in partnership with survey results conducted by Qualtrics Research.
Contacts: For more information, contact apacpr@tripadvisor.com
About Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform*, helps hundreds of millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby. As a travel guidance company available in 43 markets and 22 languages, Tripadvisor makes planning easy no matter the trip type. The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps.
*Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, March 2023
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files
