• Tripadvisor’s Winter Travel Index reveals rising costs won’t put a stop to Aussies travelling this winter as 90% plan to have a holiday despite over two-thirds having major concerns about inflation
• Holidays are on but shorter breaks and trips closer to home are on the cards
• Bali tops the list for most popular spots for Aussies travelling abroad

AUSTRALIA, 20 May, 2022 - As temperatures start to drop and the school winter break just over a month away, many will be eager to book a trip – if they haven’t done so already – to get out of the cold. But which destinations are hot this winter?

Tripadvisor today released its Winter Travel Index, using a combination of search and sentiment data to reveal what is on the minds of Australian travellers ahead of the busy winter travel season and where they plan to go.

Aussies won’t sacrifice their precious winter holiday

While inflation is a significant concern for the majority of Aussies, over two-thirds (70%) report that they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the rising costs of goods and services, travel remains a top priority with a staggering 90% of Australian survey respondents planning to travel this year – 48% more than last winter. 

In fact, so determined are they to have that all-important holiday, they are more than willing to make other sacrifices to ensure that they can afford it. Dining out (76%) and clothing purchases (63%) are top for the chop as Aussies make cuts to non-essential spending in order to fund their travel this year.

Despite money woes hitting many at the moment, 87% of Australian respondents say that they are planning to spend at least the same or more on travel this winter.

Bali tops the list of most popular winter hotspots abroad

While Aussies are steadfast in their determination for holiday this year, rising costs will have some effect on plans this winter as over a quarter (27%) say that they are planning to take shorter trips and almost a third (30%) will book trips closer to home. Domestic travel is still leading the way as the preferred choice for Aussies planning trips as more than three-quarters (78%) are opting for a staycation versus 22% who are going abroad.

For those who are looking for an overseas escape this winter, according to Tripadvisor site data which analysed searches made by Australian travellers for travel over the winter months, Seminyak in Bali, Indonesia is the number one choice. Seminyak boasts some of the most glorious beaches in Bali. Catch the legendary sunsets, enjoy the tranquil beauty, and marvel at Balinese ceremonies on the beach, complete with gamelan players and offerings to the gods. 

Top things to do in and around Seminyak include a Blue Lagoon Snorkelling Tour and maybe even a Balinese Cooking Class. The best-rated restaurant in the area is Ling-Ling’s Bali and Potato Head Studios is the #1 hotel according to Tripadvisor reviewers.

Singapore comes in as the second most sought after destination for Aussies, followed by yet another Balinese city, Legian. Bali seems to be a super popular destination for Australians looking to get out of the cold and back into the sunshine -- six Balinese cities have made it to the top 10 list of trending international destinations, each with its own different vacation vibe. 

When it comes to domestic destinations, the city break theme comes through strongly. Sydney tops the list, followed by Cairns and Melbourne coming in second and third respectively. Queensland seems like the place to be, with five Queensland cities making the top 10 list. 

Most Popular Destinations for Australians this Winter

Dates of search: 1-31 March 2022 / Dates of travel: 1 June - 31 August 2022

Greener Travel: Aussies yet to put their money where their mouth is

A lot has changed since the pandemic hit over two years ago. As the world was locked down and planes were grounded, the effect of travel on the planet became an ever more hot topic. However, as the next few months mark the first winter in two years that travellers will really get back out there and see the world again, is sustainability still top of mind? 

Tripadvisor’s Winter Travel Index shows that while more than two-thirds (68%) of Australians think sustainable travel is more important than it was pre-pandemic, this isn’t translating to action, as more than half (55%) have not yet spent more on sustainable travel. And while 51% of Aussie travellers worry about their carbon footprint when planning travel, 55% said they have done absolutely nothing to offset it.

It’s not all bad though, a whopping 85% state that they practice some sustainable habits while travelling, including eating and shopping locally at destinations, and travelling closer to home. And while they haven’t yet done it, almost two-thirds (65%) of Aussie travellers say they’re open to spending more to travel sustainably in the future.

-ENDS-

NOTES TO EDITOR

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 2,100 consumers, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted in April 2022 across five countries - U.S., UK, Australia, Singapore and Japan.
• Site behavioural data sourced from first party traffic data on the Tripadvisor platform, gathered during the month of March 1-31, 2021, for searches made by travellers in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Japan and Singapore for travel between June 1, 2022 through August 31, 2022.

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, including the following websites:

www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com, www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.seatguru.com, www.singleplatform.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.

* Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, March 2022

** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files