Overall, Aussies are feeling more optimistic about travel in 2023 compared to 2022 with 76 per cent finding value in both business and leisure travel, according to new Booking.com research.
How they’ll travel is another thing – with seven very varied global travel trends forecast for 2023.
Booking.com surveyed more than 24,000 people in 32 countries and territories to pull together its travel predictions for 2023.
And it’s good news for advisors with 52 per cent of travellers saving to splurge on vacays, saying that investing in a holiday remains a top priority. However, travellers are still looking for bang for their buck with seven in 10 (71%) travellers mindful of their travel budget.
More than half of travellers believe the best use of their budget is to opt for one or two longer holidays instead of several short breaks.
2023 travel trends
It turns out Aussies are up for going on off-grid adventures with 44 per cent looking for a back-to-basics-style escape from reality. From wanting to learn survival skills (66%) to full-on doomsday preppers (39%), self-sufficient trips are trending in 2023.
Almost half (47%) of respondents were also keen to lean into their discomfort zone and travel to places with completely different languages and cultural experiences to their own. Which also seems to include extraterrestrial encounters with a curious 37 per cent of travellers up for UFO or alien-spotting tours.
On the flip side, unsurprisingly some travellers are hankering for simpler times with a whopping 86 per cent interested in nostalgic getaways, incorporating the likes of bus travel, theme parks and retro landmarks. Post-pandemic multi-generational family reunions will also be top of the travel agenda in 2023.
Wellness travel will continue to trend in 2023. A massive 70 per cent of Aussies want their holidays to be work-free while 45 per cent are interested in meditation and mindfulness getaways.
Another 39 per cent are keen on travelling for enhanced spiritual experiences, including ayahuasca, mushrooms and cannabis retreats.
