A new Aussie travel trends survey has revealed the motivators and trends driving demand in 2023. With nine in 10 Aussies planning overseas or domestic trips and travel topping discretionary spend, the groundwork is laid for a leisure travel rebound in 2023.
Luxury Escapes’ annual Travel 2023 report of travel trends and habits surveyed 4,000 Australians and found more than half of respondents (56.5%) were more motivated than ever to travel post-pandemic.
A whopping 75 per cent of respondents also indicated that leisure/enjoyment is the number-one reason for their travel plans this year.
Food (63.59%) and wellness (46.42%) tourism were by far and away the main drivers for travel followed by sustainable travel (29.53%).
Heading overseas, Indonesia topped the list of trending destinations to travel to in 2023, followed by Thailand, New Zealand, the UK and Italy in the top five.
According to Luxury Escapes data, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Fiji have attracted the highest volume of bookings in 2023.
Queensland dominates the most popular domestic destinations that Aussies want to visit in 2023 with Far North Queensland, The Whitsundays and Qld Islands and Gold Coast in the top three, followed by Hobart and Melbourne.
When it comes to cost, travel tops Australians’ discretionary spend list in 2023 with more than half (58%) of respondents saying cost-of-living pressures have not impacted their travel plans. Sixty per cent are willing to spend more on travel in 2023 than pre-pandemic.
Of the report findings, Luxury Escapes CEO and Co-Founder Adam Schwab said: “We’ve discovered that our changed world has opened up a new appetite for travel like we’ve never seen before.”
“From new hotspot destinations to smarter travel and immersive encounters, our members are seeking out a new normal in travel – one that delivers on experience, quality and value.”
Read the full report here.
