As Australian travellers gear up for the summer holiday season, new research from Telstra reveals a critical gap in travel planning: emergency preparedness.
While half of Aussies are heading to regional destinations this Christmas, many are overlooking basic disaster readiness.
According to Telstra’s survey, more than half (52 per cent) of travellers – equating to 5.2 million people – admit they lack an emergency plan, even as the risk of extreme weather events looms large.
Despite spending an average of 1.5 hours planning their getaways, from booking cafés to mapping out sightseeing spots, only 23 minutes are typically spent on creating a disaster plan.
Alarmingly, one-third (32 per cent) of those polled feel unprepared for natural disasters, yet just one in 11 (nine per cent) intend to develop an emergency strategy before hitting the road.
The top precautions among surveyed Aussies include packing a portable phone charger (48 per cent) and writing down emergency contact numbers(37 per cent) rather than relying solely on their mobile devices – precautions that can be completed in under 15 minutes.
On top of these, Telstra urges Aussies to back up their data, consider a satellite phone, set up a virtual meeting place, use community-based apps, know their evacuation locations, download emergency services apps, be alert to changing conditions and use local information sources.
Interestingly, younger Australians, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are more proactive in their approach.
Nearly half (43 per cent) jot down emergency contacts, while one in five (22 per cent) know the location of the nearest payphone – a crucial backup if mobile networks go down.
Older generations, however, are less likely to take such steps, highlighting a generational divide in disaster readiness, the study found.
With extreme weather risks increasing, Telstra says that a little preparation can go a long way in ensuring safety during regional travel. After all, a memorable holiday is one that’s not disrupted by unexpected emergencies.
While it’s important that Australian travellers prepare properly for domestic holidays, it’s even more crucial they leave nothing to chance when it comes to travelling abroad – especially in light of the increasing number of travellers running into trouble overseas.
