Australians Would Rather Go On Holiday Than Find True Love

Catch flights not feelings.

Australians Would Rather Go On Holiday Than Find True Love

Image: The Telegraph

Delete your Hinge profile and cut your mooring lines – Australians would rather flounce around the globe than get into a committed relationship and… should we be surprised?

With international travel still off-limits to Australians the immediate assumption would be that this is a case of ‘forbidden fruit tastes all the better.’ But we’re no psychologists, so let’s turn to Booking.com, who did the research, for the details.

New data shows Australian travellers’ “exploratory appetite and desire to get back into the wider world” remains strong, Booking.com has just announced, and we are “prepared to gear up and head out as soon as possible… surprisingly leaving work and love behind us to do so,” the bookings platform has said.

The only hitch is, according to Booking.com, many of us don’t even know where our passports are.

“The latest research from Booking.com found almost 1 in 5 of Aussie travellers can’t remember where their passport is and two thirds (65%) reported they don’t bear any resemblance to their passport photo any more,” (Booking.com).

“Change in appearance aside, most surprising perhaps is what people are willing to trade in for that long awaited trip.”

The list includes:

  • 71% of Aussie travellers reported they would prefer to go on a holiday than to find true love.
  • 71% would choose a trip over the chance to buy a new car.
  • 72% would opt for a holiday over a promotion at work.
  • 57% would pick a trip away over dinner with extended family despite constant restraints on interactions and experiences with our loved ones over the past year.

Recent Booking.com search data has also uncovered where Aussie travellers are looking to go in New Zealand, now that the long-awaited travel bubble has opened.

“Since the border opening was officially announced last week demand for Aussies searching destinations has spike considerably, particularly for ski destinations,” Booking.com claims.

Top search demand increases for destinations in New Zealand that Australians are searching, per Booking.com data, are:

  • Queenstown – search was approximately 8 times greater.
  • Auckland – search was nearly 7 times greater.
  • Christchurch – search was nearly 7 times greater.
  • Wellington – search was approximately 5 times greater.
  • Wanaka – search was nearly 7 times greater.

Top search demand increases for destinations in Australia that New Zealanders are searching, meanwhile, can be seen below:

  • Gold Coast – search was approximately 5 times greater.
  • Sydney – search was more than 3.5 times greater.
  • Melbourne – search was approximately 4.5 times greater.
  • Brisbane – search was approximately 3.5 times greater.
  • Noosa Heads – search was approximately 4.5 times greater.

Luke Wilson, Area Manager Australia at Booking.com, says the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble is evidence of the collective positive attitude Aussies displayed in uniting against COVID-19 and is a promising first step to resuming international travel.

“With the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble, Booking.com remains ever more optimistic that at some point in the not-so-distant future, everyone may once again be able to travel and experience the world together.”

“Our research shows our exploratory appetite and desire to get back into the wider world remains strong. It’s reassuring to see that after a year of unpredictable events, we’re able to head across the ditch once again, and that Aussies have high hopes to return to other international travel soon.”

Good luck and happy holiday hunting.

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