lastminute.com.au tickles your fancy

If you or your clients want to find out which destinations tickle our fancy, which airlines hit the spot,  the low-down on airport frisks and loads more, then lastminute.com.au, Australia’s leading travel and lifestyle website’s announcement today of the launch of the Travel and Lifestyle Trends Report, covering the hottest topics on the travel radar from the best airlines to the latest lust-have holiday destinations could be the answer.

Chief Operating Officer of lastminute.com.au Chris Meehan says, “The travel industry is constantly hit with change. Global warming, the Internet and terrorism are just some of the factors that have transformed an industry and changed the way Aussies travel.

“As leaders in the travel and lifestyle space, lastminute.com.au decided it was high time someone found out why Australian travellers do what they do, and we’ve found some surprising results!”

Highlights from the report include:

Aussies don’t mind being felt up every now and then – While sour faces would suggest otherwise, Aussie travellers back  the extra airport  security measures such as tighter carry-on rules, with 72% of travellers saying ‘it’s a  good thing’.

And the big cheeses in Canberra are doing something right in response to the  security threats because 1 in 3 Aussie travellers have been taken aside for a random airport security check.  In the wake of 9/11 and other recent scares, thousands of travellers admit to feeling a  little nervous when it comes to boarding that next flight.

Over 65% admit that terrorism affects their willingness to travel and over 300,000 Australians say they ‘won’t travel overseas anymore’   Almost 40% of Victorians say they won’t travel to an area affected by terrorism, by far the most in comparison to any other state.  

Aussie Faves  – Give us a kiwi, throw in a Union Jack and top it off with some stars and stripes. The votes are in and Australians have rounded up their favourite destinations:

Favourite Overseas Destinations:

1.  New Zealand

2.  Great Britain

3.  USA

Favourite Australian Holiday Destinations:

1.  Gold Coast

2.  Queensland

3.  Tasmania

Top Australian Destinations Aussies have wanted to visit, but haven’t:

1.  Perth

2.  Tasmania

3.  Broome

High Flyers – The airlines that swept us away

Australia has spoken! Despite some recent reports, Aussies are true home-grown supporters, backing their national carrier Qantas Airways in almost every category of airline excellence which includes crowning the flying Kangaroo as the Best All-Round International Airline, followed by Singapore Airlines and Emirates.

Meanwhile, Jetstar  eclipsed the competition in the ‘cheap as chips’ stakes. 

Chris Meehan continues, “A holiday is all about fun, spontaneity and discovery.

With sites like lastminute.com.au, travellers can access over 80,000 hotels, located in 871 cities and 72 countries around the world, so they’re bound to find a top-notch holiday at their favourite destination or pick-up hotspot!”

Travel Routes  

Whether it’s a Parisian pash, a Croatian cuddle fest or some Hungarian hanky-panky, close to 1 in 3 Aussies have indulged in a holiday romance.

But just as holidays are usually short-term, so too are the majority of foreign romances, with almost half of couples checking out when the holiday ends. 

That’s not to say a holiday romance has to have the life expectancy of a summer tan. 

For many Australians struck by cupid’s transnational arrow, a holiday fling has turned into the real deal –  over one million Aussies have married their holiday honey, with half a million reporting they now have children together!

Low-Carb Travel

As Rudd and Howard go head to head in the next few weeks the environment is as important to them as it is to us and despite the threat of global warming and the climate crisis, air travel is something Australians are just not ready to part with.

87% of Aussie travellers admit they will continue to fly despite the harm it causes the environment  “But that’s not to say they’ve turned their backs on Mother Nature – more travellers are latching on to the idea of going carbon neutral with over half a million travelling  Aussies have purchased carbon credits to help neutralise their greenhouse gas  emissions –  40% of those credits purchased in relation to air travel,” says Meehan.

Key topics covered in the Travel and Lifestyle Trends Report include:

Global Warming in relation to travel

Terrorism and increased security

Australia’s favourite airlines and hotels 

Travel booking trends

Best and most sought after destinations

Travel insurance and health

Personal finance and cost of travel.

A Report by The Mole