Bali will be the most popular international destination for Aussies during the Easter holidays, accounting for almost 15 per cent of all international bookings for April, according to Webjet.
Easter is typically one of the busiest holidays on the Australian calendar in terms of overseas travel, and given it falls in the middle of the school holidays it’s an ideal time for families to hop on a plane and take a trip abroad.
Bali’s place on the list signals a big jump in the Indonesian island’s popularity; last year it ranked eighth on the list. Some 13.8 per cent of all international bookings for April this year are for Bali.
Gordon Tanner, national sales and marketing manager for travel agent Bali Tours, told The New Daily that Aussies love Bali because of the short flight, culture, beaches and food.
He said that many Australians are holidaying closer to home due to the low buying power of the Aussie dollar against the US dollar.
“Overseas packages are expensive everywhere,” he said.
“Conversely, people like the idea of going overseas, so destinations like South Asia and Japan are popular due to good marketing, price, resorts, and value-added packages.”
Bali is not the only South-East Asian destination on Webjet’s list.
The shift towards closer destinations is in marked contrast to the previous year when London was the top choice for Easter travel, followed by Los Angeles and Delhi.
In 2023, London has slipped to fourth place, while LA has dropped out of the top 10.
Christchurch in New Zealand is another surprise entry on the list, replacing Wellington as a popular destination.
The increase in international travel is a positive sign for the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.
Bookings for Easter travel have increased by 45.7 per cent compared to the same period last year when COVID-19 still affected bookings.
Choosing the right travel dates and destinations can make a big difference for those looking for a deal.
According to Webjet, almost a quarter of all international bookings depart April 5-7, so avoiding those days can help travellers avoid the busy period.
Taking the long view
Australians favourite international travel destinations are changing as we look for locations where our money stretches a little further.
In efforts to cut costs, travellers are making trade-offs.
The most popular trade-offs are booking cheaper or budget accommodation (39 per cent), taking fewer trips overall (36 per cent), taking shorter trips, and not taking out travel insurance (10 per cent).
According to a recent survey commissioned by Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI), more than eight in 10 Australians who plan to travel over the next year admit that they need to cut travel costs due to the rising cost of living.
Some 37 per cent of Australians surveyed said they are less likely to travel interstate due to rising living costs.
And 48 per cent said they were less likely to travel overseas over the next 12 months.