Top destinations for young Aussies on Contiki, Flight Centre
Cost of living pressures aren’t stopping young Aussies from holidaying overseas. See how they do it.
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Young Australians are still booking international trips despite cost of living pressures – with many looking to group bookings to save more cash but still tick their top travel destinations off their bucket list.
New data from Contiki has found the top five destinations their travellers are booking include sailing in Greece, travelling through Europe with stops to multiple destinations, trips to Thailand, sailing in Croatia and touring New Zealand.
Europe far outweighs other regions as the most popular destination in recent months accounting for 78 per cent of bookings with Contiki.
Flight Centre found the top 3 international destinations for young Aussies were the US, New Zealand, and Indonesia, followed closely by Greece and Fiji.
It comes as a survey of 1000 Australians found almost two-thirds of respondents (61 per cent) were eager to stick with their plans to jet set overseas, despite the Aussie dollar falling to$US0.63, down from $US0.73 in January this year.
Younger Australians were more likely to push on with international travel plans despite any increased cost, a survey by Money Transfer Comparison found.
Even with mounting financial pressures, it found a third of 18 to 34-year olds were unlikely give up their overseas holiday.
“Australians have come out of the pandemic with increased savings and a desire to spend after more than two years of limited activity. It is positive to see that despite recent economic troubles, most Australians aren’t feeling overly money-conscious and are able to continue investing and purchasing overseas despite inflation and currency falls,” Money Transfer Comparison founder and managing director Alon Rajic said.
“Unlike previous economic periods which have seen the travel industry suffer when the AUD weakens, Australians seem to be unwavering in their commitment to travel and overseas spending in this dip. While the data shows there will be some impact, it is pleasing to know it will not be significant enough to create a crisis in the travel industry.”
Contiki, which is celebrating 60 years in the business, gives travellers the option of customising their experience with free time add-ons such as hot air ballooning, white water rafting or snorkelling. They are not part of the trip but can be included for a fee, which travellers know in advance and therefore can budget accordingly.
A survey by Contiki found 86 per cent of Australians could not live without social media while travelling.
TikTok creator Millie Ford, who has 1.4 million followers, recently undertook a retro travel experience with Contiki, to see if she could travel without relying on modern technology such as her smartphone to help with navigation, translating languages or to take photos.
“Travelling with minimal technology and only the 60s-style essentials was definitely a challenge,” Ms Ford said.
“In the early days I found myself reaching into my pocket to check my Instagram or find my way on Google Maps, but what this 12-day tour made me realise is I don’t need a phone or internet connection to meet new people and form a strong bond with one another.
“Socially, travel hasn’t changed much – I imagine back in the 60s you were still meeting people and making friends, and this is what made my trip such an unforgettable experience.”
Flight Centre found the top 5 origins for young travellers were led by Sydney, accounting for more than 45 per cent of the travellers followed by Melbourne and Brisbane. Sydney seems to be dominating more mid-year travel.
It has also found a rise in travellers making bookings with round the world tickets.
HOLIDAY DEALS
A Flight Centre spokesman said there were fares on offer round the world for under $2000 for 2023, which traditionally were hot items for young people wanting to see multiple destinations.
You can save up to 20 per cent off European adventures with Topdeck through Flight Centre.
It is also has a sale on last minute tours to destinations including Asia and Croatia, through various providers.
“Today, we’re advertising return flights from Sydney to Hawaii from $845 per person (LA is about $1500 per person), from Sydney to Auckland from $322 and from Sydney to Bali from $658,” a Flight Centre spokesman said on Wednesday.
“These are generally low season prices for departures in February and March next year.”
Contiki has several deals on offer, including up to 20 per cent off trips to Europe, up to 15 per cent off Asia and up to 15 per cent off USA and Canada.
The tour company said its group tours were a great way for young people to stretch their budget further.
“Aussies can be sure that they will be getting a good deal than if you book the individual elements yourself,” a Contiki spokesperson said.
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