Optimism as Australians’ travel spend due to increase
TripAdvisor has announced the results of the world’s largest accommodation and traveller survey – the TripBarometer by TripAdvisor.
This study, conducted on behalf of TripAdvisor by independent research firm StrategyOne, will be biannual and reports on top travel and hospitality industry trends according to more than 35,000 travellers and accommodations around the world.
The results of the TripBarometer revealed insights into the booking behavior of Australian travellers as well as the importance of online reviews and social media when it comes to planning a trip and even during a trip.
According to the TripBarometer, more than four out of ten (44%) Australian travellers are planning to increase their travel budget in 2013, with only 18% planning on spending less than last year.
When it comes to booking of accommodation, the top five factors that influenced them are location, price, online reviews, attractions or nearby activities, and accommodation amenities.
| Top 5 Factors that influenced accommodation booking | Per cent of respondents (AUSTRALIA) | Per cent of respondents (GLOBAL) |
| Location | 78% | 68% |
| Price | 77% | 76% |
| Online reviews | 44% | 44% |
| Attractions or nearby activities | 33% | 35% |
| Accommodation amenities | 30% | 34% |
When asked how many properties they would consider before making a booking, half of Australian travellers said they would consider 1 to 5 properties, 29% said they would consider 6 to 10 properties and 11% said they would consider 11 to 15 properties.
Although majority of them (60%) brought their spouse or partner along on their trip, Australian travellers (18%) also ranked one of the highest globally for travelling alone.
The TripBarometer also revealed that nine out of ten Australian travellers (92%) are turning to the Internet to plan their travel.
Not only are travel review websites the top source of information amongst Australian travellers when planning their trip (ahead of web based travel agencies and travel operator websites), they are also reported as being most useful and trusted.
| Most Useful Sources of Information | Most Trusted Sources of Information |
| Travel Review Websites (41%) | Travel Review Websites (32%) |
| Web Based Travel Agencies (18%) | Friends and Family (22%) |
| Travel Operator Websites (18%) | Travel Operator Websites (21%) |
Australian travellers are online and going on social networks even during a trip. Seventy-eight per cent of agreed that free in-room wifi is important, with 35% who said that it would greatly impact their decision to book their accommodation at the property.
Facebook, followed by Google+ and Twitter were the top three social media platforms used by Australian travellers when researching and planning their last trip, with more than half (56%) who find Facebook most useful.
During a trip, the top uses of technology for Australian travellers was “accessed the Internet through a mobile phone”, followed by “uploaded holiday photos to a social network” and “updated their status on a social network to keep their friends and family informed”.
| Top 3 uses of technology when planning the last trip | Per cent of respondents (AUSTRALIA) | Per cent of respondents (GLOBAL) |
| Accessed the Internet through a mobile phone | 45% | 51% |
| Upload holiday photos to a social network | 38% | 39% |
| Updated status on a social networks | 36% | 34% |
“In an ever connected world, it is clear that Australian travellers are turning to the Internet for all their travel needs,” said Cindy Tan, vice president, Asia Pacific at TripAdvisor. “From researching their trips to getting advice and recommendations on where to go and to keeping in contact with friends and loved ones during the trip, the internet is proving to be a trusted and useful ally.”
For the full TripBarometer report, infographic and Australia specific findings, please go to www.tripadvisorTripBarometer.com/Australia
¹ Methodology: The TripBarometer by TripAdvisor is based upon an online survey conducted in Dec. 2012 – Jan. 2013, by StrategyOne, a division of Edelman Berland, a global research and insights firm. A total of 35,042 people participated in the online survey from 26 countries spanning seven regions. The sample is made up of 15,595 consumers and 19,447 businesses, making it the world’s largest combined accommodation and traveler survey. More than 1,000 travellers in Australia participated in the survey.
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