While July to September is considered a slow travel season for both Australia and Southeast Asian countries, Trip.com data shows that more travelers from these two regions are making the trip during this season.
Asian travel to Australia is on the rise, with UK long-haul trips increasing
Unsurprisingly, trips to Australia are most popular among travelers from New Zealand, but what is interesting is the number of travelers heading to Australia from Asia. In fact, flight bookings from Southeast Asia to Australia increased 35% between June and July, compared to Trip.com booking data from April and May. As Australia and New Zealand recently removed many of the travel restrictions that have been in place during the pandemic, this has led to a spike in interest from Asian travelers.
In the top 5 countries traveling to Australia this summer, Indonesia came in second place behind New Zealand, with Singapore taking 3rd place and Thailand 5th place. UK travelers took the 4th spot, suggesting that the appetite for long-haul trips is increasing in the UK market too.
Australians are frequently heading to Asia to escape the cold
Domestically, during Australian winter, Trip.com data emphasizes the trend for Australia’s Southern residents to visit Queensland in the North to enjoy better weather during the off-season, with Brisbane, Cairns, the Gold Coast and the Whitsundays all attracting in-country travelers.
Driven by the international travel market recovering in the first half of 2022, Trip.com data shows that more Australians are frequently heading further north to escape the cold during the winter. Since April, the ratio of international bookings made on Trip.com Australia has continued to increase, with 42% in March rising to 63% in July.
Given to the uncertainty of the pandemic, most Australian international travelers booking on Trip.com have chosen to travel short-haul to Southeast Asia during winter this year. Local tourism from Australia to the region is on the rise, with flight bookings to the region increasing by 97% in June and July compared to April and May. Countries including Indonesia, India, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore all made it into the top 10 most popular destinations for Australian users during June and July, with Indonesia taking the top spot, which aligned with the reopening of borders in many Asian countries of this year.
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