Australian travellers are increasingly favouring spontaneous holidays over tightly planned itineraries, with new research showing 81% would rather leave room for discovery than schedule every detail.
The study, conducted by Choice Hotels Asia-Pac with the South Australian Tourism Commission, surveyed 2,829 people and found 61% would travel further to experience something different.
Nature and regional experiences are also winning out over big city breaks.
Almost half (47%) said they would prefer a laidback seaside escape, compared with 20% choosing a city holiday and 19% favouring vineyard settings.
Food and wine are influencing destination choice too, with 24% saying they look for lesser known regional dining and drinking experiences when deciding where to travel.
Kari Hunter, Choice Hotels Asia-Pac Senior Director Commercial & Revenue Management, said the shift towards less structured trips increased the importance of having a reliable accommodation base.
“Travellers are telling us they want more freedom in how they explore, but they still want confidence in where they stay,” Ms Hunter said.
The research found 80% preferred coastal locations, vineyards and wide open spaces over city experiences, while 35% nominated a glass of red by the fire as their ideal way to unwind in winter.
South Australia emerged as a strong fit for the trend, with 61% of respondents saying the state’s nature experiences, landscapes and outback adventures appealed to them most.
A further 36% said they were seeking the thrill of a new experience on their next South Australian trip, while 21% wanted to find a place they could return to again.
