Are you Australia’s most trusted travel adviser?

Have you, much like Aussie singer Lucky Starr, been everywhere man?

Well, according to new research, you can expect to find yourself in the elite category of ‘travel guru’, along with the singer who boasted about going everywhere from Tullamore to Seymour, Tuggerawong to Wollongong.

Roy Morgan Research has revealed its latest findings when it comes to Australia’s most trusted travel adviser, and as agents, it shouldn’t be surprising that the favourites for imparting wisdom are those who have travelled to more destinations.

In the 12 months to March 2015, one-third of the Australian population aged 14+ were asked by friends and/or family for their advice on planning a holiday.

And as Roy Morgan reported last year, recent travellers are the most sought-after advisors, particularly those who took their last holiday overseas. And the more destinations you’ve clocked up over the years, the more likely it is that friends and family will come to you for guidance.

This is evident from as few as three destinations, and becomes increasingly striking as the destination count rises. Among Aussies who have visited more than 10 destinations in the last 12 months, some 65% are ‘trusted advisers’, having had their advice sought.

Trusted holiday advisers by number of destinations visited vs average Australian: April 2014 – March 2015. Base: Australians 14+

“Guidebooks, travel TV shows, magazines and the internet are all excellent sources of information when planning a holiday, but they are often driven by a commercial imperative,” Roy Morgan’s group account director Angela Smith said. “On the other hand, a friend or family tells it like it is, without any professional loyalties or recompense.”

“True, travel websites based around user-generated reviews are almost the same thing, but advice from someone you know and trust has that extra degree of trustworthiness.”

“Of course, when that friend has travelled to many destinations, their ‘holiday authority’ increases exponentially,” Smith added.

“It’s a bit like books: someone who only reads crime novels is well qualified to recommend books of that genre, but a more widely read friend can give advice on a more varied range of books, and suggest titles they know would appeal specifically to the person they are advising.

“What’s more, our data also shows that trusted holiday advisers tend to rate highly on the Roy Morgan Research ‘Out and About’ scale, meaning that their heavier-than-average leisure, retail and transport activities expose them to a diverse range of outdoor advertising.

“This is definitely something for tourism authorities and travel operators to bear in mind. By reaching these influential people, they stand a good chance of word-of-mouth doing the rest…”

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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