Where we’d like to go on holiday isn’t necessarily where we end up
Dreaming of an idyllic Hawaiian beach holiday is one thing, but getting there is something else.
The latest findings from Roy Morgan Research indicate that Australians’ holiday destination preferences don’t always determine where they end up.
Well, except when that destination is Mel-bourne. The Victorian capital is not only the destination most visited by holidaying Aussies, but also tops the list of places we’d most like to take a holiday in – domestic or international.
When asked where they’d like to take a holiday in the next two years, 21.5% of Australians 14+ (or 4,154,000 people) nominated Melbourne, ahead of the Gold Coast (16.2% or 3,116,000 people), the UK (14.6%), the US (14.4%) and New Zealand (12.6%).
Top 10 destinations Australians would like to visit in the next 2 years
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), May 2013 – April 2014 (n=17,391). Places respondents would like to travel for at least one night (nett trip) in the next two years. Red bars: overseas destinations
Melbourne’s popularity remains unchallenged since 2006, when 20.2% of Australians reported that they’d like to visit (well ahead of Sydney at 14.6%). Back then, however, more of us ended up holidaying in Sydney than in Melbourne.
But in the 12 months to April 2014, Melbourne attracted more visitors (1,899,000 people or 9.8% of the population) than any other holiday desti-nation, surpassing Sydney (1,486,000 people or 7.7%), the Gold Coast (6.1%), Sunshine Coast (5.2%) and the north coast of NSW (Forster, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Taree, Port Stephens etc; 5.2%).
Top 10 destinations Australians visited on holiday in the last 12 months
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), May 2013 – April 2014 (n=17,391). Places respondents have stayed for at least one night on their last trip in the last 12 months (nett trip).
