Research conducted in both New Zealand and Australia by leading market research agency Opinion Compare shows the desire of both countries to travel to respective countries is surging.
An online survey of nationally representative samples in both countries (n=522 in New Zealand, n=504 in Australia) showed high intention and desire for Trans-Tasman travel.
In New Zealand, 47 per cent of the adult population said they were likely to visit Australia if restrictions were lifted, while in Australia, a similar percentage of the adult population (43 per cent) shared the same sentiment.
Top of the list for Kiwis by Australian State, was Queensland, followed by New South Wales and Victoria, with the following destinations the 15 most popular of those likely to travel to Australia
1 – Sydney – 38 per cent
2 – Gold Coast – 36 per cent
3 – Melbourne – 32 per cent
4 – Brisbane – 24 per cent
5 – Sunshine Coast – 23 per cent
6 – Perth – 13 per cent
7 – Blue Mountains – 9 per cent
8 – Adelaide – 8 per cent
9 – Far North Coast e.g. Byron Bay/Ballina – 7 per cent
10 – Great Ocean Road – 7 per cent
11 – Port Douglas – 7 per cent
12 – Hobart – 7 per cent
13 – Cairns – 6 per cent
14 – Yarra Valley e.g. wineries – 6 per cent
15 – Mornington Peninsula – 5 per cent
In Australia, on the other side of the Tasman, the top destinations Australians were wanting to visit in New Zealand were:
1 – Auckland – 46 per cent
2 – Christchurch – 35 per cent
3 – Wellington – 34 per cent
4 – Queenstown – 33 per cent
5 – Bay of Islands – 21 per cent
6 – Rotorua – 21 per cent
7 – Milford Sound – 20 per cent
8 – Lake Taupo – 16 per cent
9 – Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers – 15 per cent
10 – Tunnel Beach, Dunedin – 14 per cent
11 – Hawke’s Bay – 13 per cent
12 – Waitomo Glowworm Caves – 13 per cent
13 – The Cook Islands / Rarotonga – 13 per cent (Outside NZ)
14 – Mount Cook National Park – 11 per cent
15 – Tongariro National Park – 10 per cent
"These numbers should come as no surprise as after both countries start to lift restrictions and talk about the potential of travel between the countries, Australians and Kiwis are looking for travel options. What is interesting, and the subsequent challenge for the tourism authorities, is to compete against the more familiar destinations; as these are the default options for holiday makers," CEO of Opinion Compare Gavin Male says.
"In addition to uncovering where potential holiday makers were likely to visit, we measured their familiarity with each of the destinations; and it’s clear the more a person knows about a destination like the Gold Coast or Christchurch, the more likely they are to visit. But places like The Barossa Valley in South Australia or Wanaka in New Zealand, face the additional challenge of building awareness against the more established and well-known destinations," he says.
