As Australians prepare for the June long weekend and the start of the ski season, travellers are being urged to book that winter trip and support regional communities across the country.
The tourism sector is encouraging Australians to plan a winter getaway and enjoy time with loved ones, following new research showing nearly a quarter (23%) of Australians have cancelled or postponed their winter travel plans due to fuel concerns.
New research commissioned by the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia reveals that among those travellers who had planned a winter getaway (42%), more than half have changed their plans because of fuel prices and availability.
TTF CEO Margy Osmond said the findings showed many Australians still wanted to travel, despite uncertainty over whether they could afford or confidently plan a road trip.
“Australians are telling us they want to travel, but they also want confidence that they can plan and budget for their journey,” she said.
“Making fuel information easier to access would help more travellers get on the road and support regional communities.”
Ms Osmond noted that when travellers postpone or cancel a road trip or domestic holiday, there can be a ripple effect throughout regional Australia.
“Regional tourism operators have done it tough over recent years and they shouldn’t be losing business because travellers lack confidence in something as fundamental as fuel,” she said.
The nationally representative survey of more than 1,000 Australians conducted in the past week found fuel concerns are discouraging more than two-thirds (68%) of Australians from taking a drive holiday.
Fuel price was ranked as the leading concern, followed by fuel availability and then access to reliable information on fuel costs and availability while travelling.
However, 65% of Australians surveyed said they would be more likely to take a road trip in regional Australia if they could easily access information about where fuel was available and prices along their route.
Ms Osmond said the findings reinforced the tourism industry’s call for a nationally consistent fuel information platform to give motorists real-time information about fuel prices and availability across the country.
“It’s encouraging that state and federal ministers have already discussed a national fuel information platform and recognised the value it could provide to travellers. We now have an opportunity to work together to turn that support into a practical tool for Australians planning their next trip,” she said.
“Australia has no shortage of incredible regional destinations, but travellers need confidence that they can get from A to B without unnecessary stress, uncertainty or surprise costs.
“A single national fuel information platform would be a practical, common-sense solution that gives travellers greater certainty and helps get more visitors back into regional communities.”
The research also highlighted broader winter travel intentions among Australians, including plans for ski and snow holiday trips in the months ahead.
It found 18% of Australians plan to book a ski or snowboarding trip this winter, with the most popular destinations being Thredbo in NSW (4%) and overseas (4%).
The next most popular destinations were Perisher in NSW, as well as Falls Creek and Mount Buller in Victoria (3% each), followed by Mount Hotham in Victoria.
ENDS