Australians are still loving a local getaway, with new Roy Morgan data showing nearly three in five (57%) Aussies planning a domestic trip in the next year. That’s up from 52% last year, proving home is where the holiday heart is for many.
Meanwhile, overseas travel is also on the rise, with one in four (23%) Aussies planning an international trip, compared to less than one in six (16%) in October 2022, when Australia scrapped its final COVID-era travel restrictions.
“While the percentage of Australians intending to take a holiday overseas continues to increase – now at 5.2 million (up 5% from a year ago), domestic travel pursuits remain the mainstay of how Australians travel whether discovering new places or returning to familiar spots, with 13 million Australians planning a domestic holiday over the next 12 months,” Roy Morgan Head of Travel and Tourism Adele Labine-Romain said.
Interestingly, travel plans have picked up despite lower consumer confidence – a reversal of the usual trend, where confidence typically fuels bookings.
The bounce is showing up in real numbers too.
According to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, Aussies took 11.5 million overseas trips in 2024 – surpassing 2019 levels. However, this increase is largely due to population growth. On a per capita basis, we’re not quite back to pre-pandemic habits yet.
“Australians have always possessed a deep-seated wanderlust, and these figures confirm our enduring passion for travel,” Labine-Romain remarked.
“While economic factors and confidence levels have certainly been influencing travel decisions for some, the desire to explore remains strong showing a promising future for travel.”
The findings are based on Roy Morgan’s major survey of over 60,000 Australians.
