Travellers’ fright plans

A WHOPPING 92 per cent of Australians are expected to travel in the next two years, new research shows, but three in four holiday-makers will be more worried about their health and safety compared to before the pandemic.

Research by Yougov, which was commissioned by Southern Cross Travel Insurance in March, involved a survey of more than 1000 adults and revealed the appetite for travel was strong after easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

But the findings indicate post-pandemic fears are shaping travel decisions, including destinations and accommodation choices, holiday activities and travel insurance.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance chief executive Jo Mccauley said the pandemic had affected people’s method of planning holidays.

“It has made us more aware now, than ever, of the things that could potentially go wrong during our travels and the importance in planning for these unforeseen circumstances,” she said.

“Prior to the pandemic, travel insurance used to be something some of our customers would purchase at the last minute with limited understanding about what they were and weren’t covered for. We’re now finding Australian travellers are much more engaged with their travel insurance policy, and as a result, we’re experiencing a surge in enquiries into our contact centre.”

The research revealed drawn-out Covid-19 restrictions had influenced the type of holiday people want, with nature and getting away from big cities becoming a focus. Survey results also showed hostel-style accommodation was less appealing, with more travellers now considering overall cleanliness and Covidsafe practices when choosing accommodation.

More people are also looking at cancellation policies.

The research also exposed generational differences, with adults aged 18 to 24 displaying a more relaxed approach to travel than older people.

“What is slightly concerning is that the data does indicate that this age group may not be taking the same precautions as older generations when planning a holiday, therefore leaving them more exposed to increased risk of harm or costly mistakes here and overseas,” Ms Mccauley said.

Flight Centre Travel Group’s global leisure chief executive James Kavanagh said there had been a strong recovery nationwide since border restrictions were lifted.

“Generally speaking, people are very keen to reconnect, whether that’s with friends and family, or for business, or to make the most of their holiday time,” he said. “We have had queues outside some of our shops at times.”

Mr Kavanagh said there was an initial wave of leisure travel, with people visiting friends and relatives.

“Many were taking off as soon as they were able to,” he said.

“There is also a good base of future holiday bookings.”

Popular destinations have so far included India and the Philippines, as well as the UK, Europe, America, Fiji, New Zealand and Bali.