Australians crave post pandemic adventure in 2022

A pent-up demand for new experiences as a result of the pandemic is seeing more than a third of Australians (35%) express the intention to try an adventure activity in 2022.

A survey commissioned by Flip, Australia’s first on-demand injury insurance, and parent company HCF, Australia’s largest not-for-profit health insurer, reveals that almost half of Australians have tried an extreme sport in the past - with skiing and snowboarding the most popular activities - and that nearly three quarters of Australians plan to travel overseas or domestically this year, with 16% saying their next trip will be an adventure holiday.

The survey, based on figures from YouGov Galaxy Pty Ltd, shows nearly half (46%) of those who want to try an adventure sport in 2022 say they want to do so to challenge themselves, 44% are seeking new experiences and for a third, it is something they’ve always wanted to do.

Kathleen Weaver, Flip's co-Chief Officer, explains “January is the time when people are making resolutions and planning their bucket lists for the year.

“After two years of lockdowns, not being able to travel or do many of the things we planned to, Australians are wanting to make the most out of 2022 and many are turning to new and adventurous experiences to do so.”

Other key findings include:

• The most popular adventure sports for Australia who have tried one are: skiing and snowboarding (40%), surfing (37%), waterskiing/wakeboarding (33%), skateboarding (31%), scuba diving (27%), BMX/mountain biking (25%) skydiving (16%), parasailing (13%) and bungy jumping (11%).

• Queenslanders proved to be the most adventurous in the country with 55% having tried an action sport followed by 51% of Australians from NSW while Victorians are the least likely to have tried one (43%).

• Men are more likely than women to have tried an adventure sport (55% compared to 44%).

• Millennials are most likely to say they intend to try an action sport in 2022 because they have been inspired by watching the Olympics and sport on TV and social media.

Weaver added “at Flip we’re all about giving people the confidence to try something new - no matter how big or small that is, be it bungee jumping or signing up for the gym. We want to give people the extra nudge to step out of their comfort zone, but also be the safety net that gives them some added peace of mind along the way."

Flip is a wholly owned subsidiary of HCF which launched the business in partnership with BCG Digital Ventures (BCGDV), the corporate innovation and digital business-building arm of the Boston Consulting Group.

Image courtesy of Perisher.