Schoolies holidays sell at record pace
School leave may not be for another 18 months for Year 11s but the students are planning their end-of-year trips at record levels, earlier than ever.
Unleashed Travel, Australia’s largest provider of overseas travel packages for school-leavers, recently sold 1300 packages for December 2013 within 12 minutes in an early release.
“This shows that students are planning their end-of-school trips much earlier than the public realises,” says Unleashed Travel director Jot Lynas, who has accompanied thousands of school-leavers to destinations such as Fiji, Bali and Vanuatu. “My concern is that parents are not nearly as involved as they should be at this early stage.
“Parents need to know about the range of holiday environments on offer – and the safety concerns of each. You can’t you do this without seeking the same information as the students.”
Mr Lynas says excesses such as binge drinking are usually a result of the holiday environment having little else to offer. “In my experience, for many school-leavers it’s their first trip away from their parents. Most want to make it a memorable adventure, not a week of excessive drinking.”
Mr Lynas says, “Overseas island holidays are a more controlled setting, with a cap on travellers and a safer environment. They offer high-quality accommodation, a more exclusive setting, cultural activities such as exposure to remote native communities, plenty of sun, no ‘predators’ and a travel crew that’s there 24/7 for the school-leavers. These are the types of environments that are becoming more attractive to students and parents, because they are safer and offer a richer experience.
“For peace of mind, parents need to know what’s out there, and should get involved in their teen’s decision,” Mr Lynas says.
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