Horizon Research has completed an extensive survey projecting domestic tourism market potential after COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased.
Horizon finds that 3 per cent of adults, an estimated 1,229,600 million people, intend to take a domestic holiday in the next seven to 12 months, as alert levels allow.
This is up 176,000 from Horizon’s April 7-12 measure of activity people were likely to undertake in the first 6 months after Level 4 was lifted and when permitted.
Horizon says the actual number taking domestic holidays now restrictions are eased will be larger. 17 per cent expect to travel alone while 59 per cent say they will travel with their partner or spouse.
The nationwide April 28-30 Horizon survey of 1,131 adults also reports not only those who would go on a domestic holiday, but who would like to if they could in the next 12 months.
Horizon says the areas which most New Zealanders would like to holiday in during the next 12 months are the Bay of Islands (an estimated 823,300 adults). The number who will definitely holiday there in the next seven to 12 months is estimated at 378,700.
Some 812,500 would like to holiday in Queenstown/Wanaka (431,600 definite in the next seven to 12 months), 701,100 in Coromandel (339,400), 420,600 in Rotorua (227,500), 668,700 in Nelson/Tasman (344,300), 557,300 West Coast (259,400), 269,600 Central Plateau/Tongariro/Ruapehu (134,000).
Those who indicated that they would definitely take a domestic holiday in the seven to 12 months after lockdown restrictions were lifted each expected to spend an average of $2,320 on their trips.
Twelve per cent of that group expected to spend more than $4,000, and only 5 per cent were unsure how much they would spend.
Asked what sort of 'mood' their domestic holiday would be if they were able to take it. Of those who said they would take a domestic holiday in the seven to 12 months after lockdown restrictions were lifted:
61 per cent wanted to see New Zealand’s scenery;
59 per cent wanted a relaxing holiday; while
59 per cent wanted their holiday to be social/catching up /meeting people.
A nett 60 per cent (an estimated 740,500 adults) wanted a holiday with a mixture of activities and quiet times;
A nett 19 per cent (an estimated 187,100 adults) wanted quiet time only; and A nett 15 per cent (an estimated 237,300 adults) wanted activities only.
Horizon’s principal, Graeme Colman, says definite and likely visitor numbers are also large for some of the main centres, and total potential is higher for some smaller regions than the actual numbers of domestic visitors they were experiencing before COVID-19.
"We’re hopeful they can use the insights to make the most of the restart – and in each of the coming 12 months. It should help them target potential travellers who most want the holidays they are offering."
The research also profiles the 64 per cent of adults who will not take a domestic holiday in the next seven to 12 months, and what they would prefer if they did and at what cost. This would inform campaigns to increase the number of definite holidaymakers to more than 34 per cent overall.
The survey deeply profiles
– where people wish to travel to (31 regions and associated areas)
– the types of activities they would prefer to engage in there
– accommodation class
– how they would travel
– month of travel
– who will undertake travel bookings
– who would accompany the primary traveller, and
– how much they would spend per trip.
There is a subset of data for those who would use the Great Walks.
All of these are reported by up to 11 demographic criteria which Horizon hopes will help tourism promotion agencies and operators nationwide optimise the restart of domestic tourism.
