Kiwi travellers are making relaxing holiday destinations a priority

Fuel is expensive, groceries are expensive, mortgage rates are high - and yet Kiwis show no sign of slowing down when it comes to travelling, according to research by two travel businesses.

Data from Southern Cross Travel Insurance and Booking.com suggests Kiwis are keen to travel and for one specific reason.

Surveys conducted this year found a majority of New Zealanders planned to travel within the next 12 months and many appear to be seeking a break from the stress and busyness of regular life.

In January, most Kiwis (95 per cent) surveyed for Southern Cross Travel Insurances’ Future of Travel report planned to travel over the following 12 months.

More than half (59 per cent) of those intending to jet off somewhere around New Zealand or abroad said they were travelling to “relax and unwind”.

However, the company didn’t necessarily need this data to know people were eager to travel; full flights and demand for travel insurance were clear signs.

“We’ve all seen so much commentary around airlines coming back to New Zealand and flights chock-a-block pretty much everywhere as people get back into travelling,” said Southern Cross Travel Insurance CEO Jo McCauley.

“We’re seeing that change reflected in our sales, which have been consistently strong since borders reopened, and especially over the last few months,” she added.

Meanwhile, Booking.com’s 2023 Travel Confidence Index research also found Kiwis had an appetite for travel and more specifically, a desire to seek relaxation while away.

Of 800 Kiwis surveyed, more than two-thirds (67 per cent) wanted a relaxing holiday and one-third (32 per cent) wanted to escape the reality of their day-to-day lives.

However, there still was a desire to save money where possible, according to responses.

When asked how they would save money when planning their next trip, the most popular tactic for Kiwis was staying at a cheaper accommodation (40 per cent), followed by “spend less while travelling”.

Todd Lacey, Oceania regional manager at Booking.com, said this indicated how Kiwis would look for workarounds to afford travel even when times were tight.

“It’s clear that travel will continue to be a priority for Kiwi travellers, who are thinking smartly about how they prioritise their spend so they don’t miss out on experiences,” he said.

“Despite being one of the last countries to return to travel in 2022, insights from this year’s Travel Confidence Index reassuringly proves that New Zealand is well on its way to reclaiming its position as a world-leading tourism destination.”