Picking up where 2022 left off, international travel appears to be high on the agenda for an increasing number of Australians this year.
A new study has revealed that international travel is among the top five New Year resolutions for Aussies, with one in seven (14 per cent) of those surveyed saying they were resolved to travel abroad in 2023. That’s the equivalent of more than 3 million Australians.
According to the study, which was conducted by comparison site Finder, seven in 10 (71 per cent) Australians made resolutions for the new year.
In the nationally representative survey of 1,086 respondents, the top resolutions were to eat more healthily (34 per cent), lose weight (33 per cent), and improve fitness (31 per cent).
More sleep (18 per cent) and overseas travel (14 per cent) rounded out the top five resolutions.
One in eight (12 per cent) Aussies plan to live more sustainably, one in nine (11 per cent) intend to renovate their house, and the same number (11 per cent) are resolved to work less and/or have a better work/life balance, which is up from eight per cent last year.
More money for travel
As well as New Year resolutions, the study looked at the top financial goals among Australians for 2023.
Looking to get on top of their money, more than four in five (83%) Aussies said they had set financial goals for the year ahead, with saving more (50 per cent) and spending less (32 per cent) at the top of mind for most.
To help realise goals for travel and other resolutions, Finder credit card expert Amy Bradney-George said, “it’s often helpful to set small, achievable goals that lead towards larger, more aspirational ones”.
“That way you can see progress, bit by bit,” she said.
Bradney-George added that the start of a new year was a great time to build on good habits around money management.
“Look for ways to trim your budget and reduce unnecessary expenses,” she said.
“This might include cancelling subscriptions, cutting back on dining out, or finding ways to save on your monthly bills.”
Global travel advisor network Virtuoso said it expects hotel and advance bookings to surge past pre-pandemic levels in 2023, with Australian and New Zealand travellers willing to spend more on holidays as well.
One of Australians’ most popular destinations, New Zealand, also thinks 2023 will be a year of opportunity for the travel industry.
