Aussie travellers spending more and staying longer than western counterparts: Report
New data has revealed that despite current economic pressures, Australians are travelling longer and spending more on their summer holidays than their counterparts in Europe, the United States and Canada.
The research was commissioned by Europ Assistance, the parent company of Australian travel insurance provider InsureandGo and surveyed 15,000 respondents from 15 countries to uncover travel trends. Australia was included in the research for the first time this year – with a panel of 1000 respondents from Australia taking part in the survey – after Europ Assistance’s acquisition of InsureandGo Australia and Tick Travel Insurance.
The study examined a range of key factors including reasons people refrain from travel, travel budgets, adjustment of travel plans due to inflation, average holiday lengths and the desire to travel abroad.
The results revealed that less than a quarter (23%) of respondents from Australia would choose a closer destination for a summer holiday due to inflation, compared with an equal 27 per cent of European, Canadian and American respondents.
The survey also showed Australian respondents are spending more on summer holidays – an average of $4602 – than respondents from the USA ($4544), Canada ($3633) and Europe ($3144).
InsureandGo chief commercial officer Jonathan Etkind said, “Australians have long been perceived as travel enthusiasts. The research confirms that travel is high on our list of priorities, with inflation having a relatively smaller impact on our travel plans.
“Canadians appear to be the most budget-conscious travellers, with 40 per cent of respondents in the research indicating they would refrain from travel this year to save money, followed by 37 per cent of Americans. In comparison, less than a third (32%) of Australian respondents are willing to give up their travel this summer to save money,” he said.
Australians are also taking the longest summer holidays. The report found Aussie respondents to have the highest average summer holiday duration, at 2.1 weeks on average, compared with 1.9 weeks for Europeans, 1.8 weeks for Canadians and 1.6 weeks for Americans.
Etkind added: “The results could also suggest that Australians are accumulating more savings for travel, relative to European and North American travellers. A part of this is necessity: airfares from Australia to international destinations make up a large part of our travel budgets, and after a long-haul flight it makes sense that Australians want to make the most of their time in their holiday destination.”
(Featured Image: Passport of Australia and suitcase with flag of Australia – iStock/Bet_Noire)
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
insureandgo Jonathan Etkind travel trendsLatest News
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