The great Aussie Wanderlust is back, but from From TikTok to turbulence there's a new set of forces driving travel choices
Choosing a holiday destination used to be such a a simple affair. You heard a glowing review from a friend, saw a particularly sun-drenched beach on a travel show, and - provided your bank account agreed - booked the trip. Alas, that golden age of naive wanderlust is no more. The modern traveller, armed with an endless scroll of influencer-packed itineraries and a healthy dose of geopolitical anxiety, increasingly picks their vacation spot based on the information from new media channels. According to the latest data from Zenith’s Imagine Panel, Australians still put their faith in word-of-mouth recommendations, but the fastest-growing sources of travel inspiration are social media, YouTube travel bloggers, and influencers. Meanwhile, older generations remain steadfast in their belief that if a destination is good enough for a BBC documentary, it must be worth the trip. But what truly weighs on the traveller’s mind these days isn’t just price, it’s politics. Safety (79 per cent) and stability (71 per cent) are now top concerns, pushing the usual allure of breathtaking scenery (68 per cent), cultural experiences (50 per cent), and vibrant nightlife (26 per cent) further down the priority list. In a world teetering on the edge of various calamities, the ideal holiday isn’t just about relaxation, it’s about making it back home in one piece.
Though travel intention has increased and is anticipated to continue growing, Australians are adjusting to how they travel within financial constraints, with cost the most important destination decision factor at 82 per cent.
Recommendations from friends and family remains the most important driver of choice for Australia's travel consumer. But social media, Youtube travel blogs, and and travel influencers are the fastest growing source for information according to the latest data from Zenith's Imagine Panel.
Older generations still tend to be swayed by TV shows and travel documentaries.
In other notable trends, the Middle East is viewed less favourably by prospective travellers, likely due to the conflicts in the region, but the US is also on the nose with a 25 per cent drop in the intention to travel. Recent stories about mass firings of air traffic controllers and plane crashes are unlikely to help. On the flip side, Europe and New Zealand are back in favour.
Outside the top concern of price, the current political climate and global uncertainty are also having a big impact on destination choice. Destination safety (79 per cent) and stability (71 per cent) are the second and third most important choice factors, ahead of more traditional factors such as scenery (68 per cent), culture (50 per cent), family-friendliness (29 per cent), and nightlife/entertainment (26 per cent).
According to National Head of Strategy and Planning at Zenith Australia, Simon Schoen, despite ongoing cost-of-living pressures and a challenging few years financially, more Australians are looking to escape and treat themselves by travelling in 2025. Staycations and interstate are also losing favour as international travel grows in appeal.
"Total intention to travel has increased to 79 per cent [up from 72 per cent in January 2023] with those planning to travel interstate up from 45 per cent to 50 per cent. Intent to travel overseas is also up significantly from 35 per cent to 42 per cent," said Schoen. "Intrastate travel is still popular, but intention has dropped from 49 per cent to 45 per cent over the same time frame."
Gen Z Australians are the most smitten by wanderlust, and the demographic most likely to travel overseas (47 per cent) this year. Millennials, on the other hand, want to stay closer to home, and are more likely to travel intrastate (49 per cent) compared to other generations - a nod potentially to their family state.
"Though travel intention has increased and is anticipated to continue growing, Australians are adjusting to how they travel within financial constraints, with cost the most important destination decision factor at 82 per cent," said Schoen. "Value is now more important, with 29 per cent of Australians now less likely to spend on luxury travel experiences and only 17 per cent more likely to splurge. Boomers are especially adverse on spending on luxury trips."
Hotels are a winner from the change in the behaviour, with 30 per cent of Australians now saying they are more likely to stay at hotels over holiday rentals.
"This is compared to just 12 per cent favouring the opposite, indicating a growth in travellers desiring the total amenity hotels provide to enhance their travel experience," commented Schoen.
Australians’ travel decisions are heavily influenced by recommendations and the content they consume on TV and social media. Across all age groups, word-of-mouth from family and friends remains the most cited source of travel inspiration.
For travel brands, tapping into culture is becoming increasingly more important to drive destination desire, with TV shows and movies more influential than before. It seems the White Lotus effect is real.
Many travellers are now ‘mini creators’, with the content they create on holiday acting as inspiration for others. Ensuring there is sufficient content available on social platforms for someone to research a destination is important. User-generated content (UGC) video combined with creator/influencer and brand video content is now the go-to for inspiration and research.
For non-travel brands, there is an opportunity to align and connect with the types of destinations Australians’ want to experience. Taking inspiration from the many people travelling to Italy during summer or Japan’s surge in popularity taps into the current zeitgeist and increases relevance.
