Regional tourism to receive a road trip boom after coronavirus

Rural and regional Australia will experience a renaissance as coronavirus restrictions ease, writes Lachlan Drummond.

IF YOU grew up in Australia in the 1980s or earlier, when air travel was expensive, chances are your holidays involved a family car trip and the back seat refrain: ‘Are we there yet?’ Well, we are about to hear it again, a lot more, and that is great news for regional and rural towns and tourism.

Regional Australia has had its challenges of late. Drought, fire, floods and now COVID-19 all conspired to reduce regional and rural visitation and economic activity. But, as restrictions on movement begin to lift, regional and rural Australia will experience a renaissance, starting with domestic tourism. Here’s why.

Firstly, international travel is off the agenda for the foreseeable future. Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has said, “I wouldn’t put any guarantees that you could undertake that overseas trip in December.” The inability to travel overseas will naturally cause Australians to look at local tourism options. Secondly, petrol prices are the lowest they have been in many years, making a country road trip more affordable.

In addition to those factors, there is also evidence that Australians during lock down have re-evaluated their priorities, including the desire to spend more time in the natural environment. Quantum Market Research, through its AustraliaNOW research during COVID-19, uncovered that over one third of respondents would spend more time in nature than before the crisis. For the past couple of months, our horizon has been the other side of the living room. The desire to expand that horizon and get out of the city to reconnect with nature is stirring strongly.

The University of Queensland also completed a national study in late April in which more than half indicated that they intended to travel domestically when restrictions lift, with the number one reason being to support Australian tourism.

Granted, many of us have reduced job security, less disposable income or may have been stood down, but if anything, this may give us more time and fuel the desire to escape our everyday reality and take in a (relatively inexpensive) regional road trip.

Many Australians made a personal commitment to regional Australia immediately after the bushfires. A commitment that we have been unable to fulfil. To visit and support fire-affected regions (doubly disadvantaged by COVID-19). Our commitment and desire to support regional Australia, hasn’t disappeared. If anything, it has grown stronger. And with the lifting of movement restrictions, cheaper fuel and the desire to get out and reconnect with nature, Australians will soon make good on their regional promise and be better for it. Buckle up, we’re going on a road trip.

Lachlan Drummond is Redhanded managing director

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