New TTF survey shows Omicron impacting holiday plans for four out of five Australians

According to a new survey commissioned by the Tourism and Transport Forum, the impact of the Omicron COVID variant has seen four out of five Australians having either cancelled or undecided over their summer holiday travel plans while one in two have no confidence in travelling interstate.

TTF Chief Executive, Margy Osmond said that the emergence of Omicron and the resulting uncertainty and plunge in travel confidence was very concerning for a tourism industry which has lost the last four school holiday periods in a row to travel restrictions and lockdowns in one or more of our major capitals.

Osmond noted “the tourism sector is now more than ever relying on a strong December/January holiday period to drive recovery and this setback will provide more pain just as operators and the aviation industry were preparing for a bumper summer.”

The national survey of 1,500 people conducted by polling company Pure Profile revealed that the concerns of three in ten Australians had increased following the emergence of Omicron with the same number either cancelling or postponing their travel plans while seven out of 10 are waiting for more information before making a decision.

In good news however for regional tourism operators almost 80% said they were planning to travel within their own state with the drive holiday a likely popular choice with more travellers now reluctant to take the risk of having to go into quarantine should they come into contact with COVID positive travellers during their journey.

Western Australia and Queensland topped the list of states most likely to shut their borders at short notice with the potential for further lockdowns, lack of consistency in rules between states and territories and fear of not being able to get home the top three reasons impacting travel confidence.

Osmond added “this could not have come at a worse time with state border restrictions easing, some of the best flight deals we have seen available this summer and a last-minute surge in interstate travel bookings now in jeopardy.

“Of all the states Queensland is likely to suffer the most from the uncertainty with high yield travellers from Sydney and Melbourne making up almost 70% of the national market and choosing to holiday within their own state.

“After the year we’ve had though, Australians are still very keen to take a well- earned holiday break and the coastal regions of NSW and Victorian destinations in particular will benefit from the lack of confidence in interstate travel as will, but to a lesser extent, the other states.

Image Great Barrier Reef courtesy of Tourism Australia