Latest data from Roy Morgan reveals 23% of us plan to travel overseas in the next 12 months, up from 16% in October 2022 when final pandemic-era restrictions on travel were lifted.
However, domestic travel continues to be at the heart of how Australians travel with 57% planning a domestic trip in the next 12 months (up from 52% a year ago).
In calendar year 2024 Australians embarked on 11.5 million overseas trips, rebounding to above 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
Looking month-on-month, in January 2024 the number of trips were back to 2019 levels and by January 2025 trips were up 11% on January 2024.
“Australians have always possessed a deep-seated wanderlust and these figures confirm our enduring passion for travel,” said Adele Labine-Romain, Roy Morgan Head of Travel & Tourism.
“While economic factors and confidence levels have certainly been influencing travel decisions for some, the desire to explore remains strong showing a promising future for travel.”
The latest travel intention data comes from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey, derived from in-depth interviews with more than 60,000 Australians each year.
Meanwhile New projections by TravelInsurance.com.au reveal that Australia will reach the overseas travel levels originally expected if the pandemic hadn’t happened by the end of 2029.
By 2029, Aussies are expected to take 17.8 million overseas trips annually – the number originally forecast for short-term travel had COVID and the economic downturn not disrupted plans.
“We’re sick of talking about the pandemic and it feels like yesterday’s news, but nearly 10 years of travel growth were lost,” said Shaun McGowan, CEO of TravelInsurance.com.au
“Both travellers and the industry are still feeling the aftershocks, not just financially, but through lingering operational challenges like flight shortages and staffing constraints.
“Airlines are still catching up, tourism operators abroad are working to regain years of lost momentum and Australians are facing a different travel landscape with higher prices, changing policies and declining trust in airline reliability and travel security.”
