The pandemic drastically changed the way people travel, especially during global border closures.
However, even now, the pandemic continues to influence where and how people are saving up and travelling.
Herald Travel spoke to Toni Ambler, New Zealand and Australia’s managing director for Contiki, Luxury Gold and several other travel brands, about Kiwis’ new travel habits, trending destinations for 2024 and one crucial tip for those planning a big trip.
We are…still revenge travelling
In 2022, people around the world hopped on planes, trains and cruise ships, regardless of the cost or disruption, eager to make up for lost time and experiences in a phenomenon called “revenge travel”.
According to Ambler, Kiwis and Australians haven’t slowed down.
“The ‘revenge travel’ aspect was just huge last year, and I thought it was only going to be a 2022 thing like borders opened and everyone went, but it has followed right the way through to 2023,” she said.
“I keep expecting it to come off a little bit, and it’s just not, which is amazing.”
As for why, Ambler said she thinks travellers - young ones especially - are “desperate” to get out of the islands, undeterred by “crazy” airfares.
“I do think that there’s been a bit of sticker shock with airline prices,” she said, but added there are “definitely people who are just like ‘To hell with it, this is what it’s gonna cost, and I’m just gonna go’.”
We are…booking shoulder seasons
For travellers who can’t stomach the insane prices for flights but still want to get away, shoulder seasons are becoming a more popular option.
“People are like, ‘You know what, I still want to go, and I don’t need to go in peak season, and I don’t mind if it’s a little bit cooler, and it’s autumn’, because they see the sticker shock of prices for flights,” Ambler said.
Not only do flight prices come down “a lot” in September, October and November, she added, but there are fewer tourists and milder temperatures.
We are...heading to Europe
As for where Kiwi and Australian tourists are going, Europe is top of the list by a long shot.
“2022 and 2023 have been the year of Europe,” Ambler said, saying Europe will be full of Kiwis and Australians this winter.
And while Contiki and other brands have tried to provide enough trips to meet demand, travellers have, at times, missed out on their preferred destination or dates, unaware that the rest of Australasia is also hungry for a European escape.
Close behind in popularity are the UK and Britain which, according to Ambler, will be popular after May.
“For the rest of the year, everyone is keen to go to the UK or Britain,” she said.
We are...travelling longer and visiting more places
Another “drastic” change has been the demand for long, multi-country trips; the kind that are between 12 and 25 days long and visit multiple countries.
This is almost the opposite of pre-pandemic, Ambler said, as people were leaning towards spending more time in a single country.
“They wanted to go to Italy for 10 days and spend 10 days in Italy, or they wanted to go to Greece and do island hopping,” she explained.
Now, however, demand is increasing for longer, multi-country tours, not just among young people but older and luxury demographics too. Ambler puts it down to a long period of closed borders.
“Everyone just wants to get out there and see as much as they possibly can in the trip they’ve got with the money that they’ve got.”
We are...planning to venture further in 2024
While classic destinations like Europe and the UK were most popular, Ambler said this would likely change next year.
“I do think there is a move in 2024 towards more interesting and exotic destinations.” she said, adding that early booking data indicated Asia was coming back “with a vengeance” and people were booking trips to India again.
“Cherry Blossom season for this year was sold out and I suspect it will sell out quickly for 2024 for Japan,” she added. Demand in South America was also returning and booking data suggested Canada could be a major destination for Kiwis next year.
This isn’t just due to a shift in consumer preference but airline accessibility too, as routes restart and airlines return to New Zealand and Australia.
We are...enjoying tours
As for how people are travelling around destinations, Ambler said the demand for tours has increased dramatically.
“I think touring [is] having its moment and long might continue,” she said, describing the demand for tours across brands like Contiki and Luxury Gold as “insane”.
According to Ambler, the security and organisation of a tour were likely an appealing factor for many travellers after a disruptive era of travel during the pandemic.
Tip for future travellers
When asked for one piece of advice for those planning a big trip, Ambler said: “Try and book as early as possible” adding people have missed out by underestimating the demand and leaving things too late.
This didn’t just mean booking flights or accommodation, she added, but activities and tours within a destination.
If you are flexible about the destination, dates and activities, this may not matter. But if you have preferences, it’s worth getting in early.
“Book early, so that you make sure you get what you want,” she said.
With high demand for Europe and Asia projected to continue into next year, Ambler said these destinations should be booked well in advance. Meanwhile, those visiting America could probably book a little later.