How to escape your winter blues

Who hates winter? We know we do. And according to new research, most Aussies feel exactly the same way.

#Wintervention is a real thing. Why do you think so many Aussies head to Europe or Bali for a few months over the cold, sad months? Pretty sure you can’t get the flu when it’s sunny, right?

According to new Cheapflights research, almost four in five Australians (77 per cent) are, or know someone, stuck in winter-induced rut with most of them willing to spend up to $5,000 on a #Wintervention to escape grey skies.

The survey of 1,500 locals uncovered the major tell-tale signs that Aussies have a serious case of the winter blues, including difficulty getting out of bed in the morning (65 per cent), a reliance on comfort food (56 per cent), socialising less (55 per cent) and binge watching favourite TV shows and movies (55 per cent).

That sounds like a stereotypical winter to us.

But while in this state of hibernation, Aussies are still daydreaming about their next getaway, with a quarter of searches on Cheapflights.com.au conducted over the colder months.

The research also found that even just this browsing can shift people’s moods, as 85 per cent of Aussies start to feel happier when planning their trip, with these numbers only increasing once somewhere sunny and warm is booked.

Nathan Graham, Regional Sales Manager at Cheapflights ANZ, said Aussies should grab some cheap winter deals to thaw out those winter blues.

“The shorter days, our freezing extremities and the hack-and-splutter of colds everywhere mean we become ghosts of our summertime selves, marching blindly through our day-to-day routines.

“But the sun is always shining somewhere and with new routes opening up across the country there’s even more opportunity to nab last-minute deals,” he said.

According to the new survey, the desire to ‘chase the sun’ is one of the top four motivators for Aussies to book a flight, behind cheap flights and accommodation, good package deals, and joining a friend or family holiday.

On the other hand, the study found that the number one deterrent in Aussies booking a trip is that they don’t have enough money, but Graham said that across a whole load of destinations, prices are increasingly competitive.

“There’s no need to break the bank, even when travelling to northern hemisphere favourites, with average minimum return airfares from $1,115 to Los Angeles, $1,363 to Paris, $1,414 to New York or $1,428 to London.

“And with locals willing to spend $3,551 on average to conquer their rut, these far flung hot destinations are well within reach.

“Booking a holiday for ourselves or our loved ones might be just the ticket to shift our mindsets and break away from the monotony of an indoor couch existence,” he added.

Check out this cutie pie of an infographic for more insights:

Wintervention Infographic

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

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