Skyscanner has released its ‘Australia Travel Trends 2018’ Report, exploring the top and rising destinations to watch out for in 2019, airfare trends and motivators that have driven Australians to book holidays over the year.
These destinations, including Lisbon, Da Nang and Kiev, are deeply ingrained in culture, history and experiences, a reflection of the holidays that Aussie travellers seek.
There are plenty of reasons why these destinations are enticing holidaymakers, with Porto pulling in visitors for its colourful medieval merchant’s houses and port wine, and Thessaloniki for its affordability and expansive sea views. With its paradisiacal beaches and booming nightlife, Da Nang offers a fitting option for those looking for an alternative to Bali in 2019. Want to know why you should be adding these destinations to your bucket list?
TOP DESTINATIONS AND AIRFARE TRENDS
Skyscanner has crunched its data from the last year to reveal the top destinations for overseas travel. Unsurprisingly, Bali, renowned for its exotic culture, and London, popular for its massive attractions, remain favourites taking out the top search rankings respectively, followed closely by Auckland and Bangkok.
Skyscanner’s report found that travel was high on the agenda for Aussies this year, with a massive 96% surveyed having travelled either domestically or overseas. Out of which, a huge 87% jet set internationally at least once in 2018. Domestic travel was also popular throughout the year with more than three quarters (81%) eager to explore their homeland. Read on here.
While there are many factors that fuel the travel bug, Aussies are most motivated to travel by the appeal of exploring new destinations (68%). Rest and relaxation (54%) was the next most cited drivers for travel, followed by the desire to enjoy authentic experiences (40%) through travelling. This is true testament to the laid-back and adventurous nature that Australians are known for.
Travel experiences are preferably shared with loved ones, as most Aussies travelled with their partner (48%) or family (40%). However, solo travel remained a common choice with close to two-fifths (39%) of independent travellers choosing to explore the world on their own this year.
A comparison across other APAC countries revealed that Australia registered the strongest growth in Premium Economy and Business Class flight bookings.
This rise in bookings could potentially be a result of Premium Economy and Business Class flights becoming more affordable over the past year.
