New research from Skyscanner has found that 44% of Australians are keen to dust off their passports and travel internationally within the next 12 months – many of which are planning to do so in the next seven to 12 months.
However, seven in 10 Aussies feel discouraged by the difficulty of understanding current options; 52% said clarity on travel guidance will help them book international travel.
To help provide Aussies with the extra confidence, Skyscanner has launched a simple-to-use interactive map with up-to-date information on countries where travellers can visit and related entry requirements. Users can further explore tips and features, including flexible flight, cleanliness and safety ratings and the latest travel advice in just a few clicks. The handy map and set of tools launch as a host of favourite destinations are set to open to vaccinated Australians this summer.
Confidence is a key driver in Skyscanner’s new survey of 1000 Australian adults when discussing plans to travel abroad. The national vaccine rollout positively influenced the confidence of 69% of Australians, and similarly, 55% of Aussies said the lifting of quarantine requirements has made them more confident to travel internationally.
This confidence is supported by Skyscanner flight search data for travel which shows a 128% monthly increase in searches for December through to February 2022*.
While confident, Aussies are still cautious when it comes to booking their next trip abroad. The top five measures Aussies noted that will encourage them to fly internationally with a specific airline are as follows:
- Passengers carrying vaccine passports (49%)
- Passengers have a negative Covid-19 test 72-hours before boarding (49%)
- Flexible ticketing options are offered (45%)
- Improved cleaning process in place (44%)
Airline is part of an international pass scheme (42%)
Brendan Walsh, Australia Country Manager at Skyscanner, comments:
“Steps towards travel re-opening for Australians is off to a flying start with some states scrapping quarantine restrictions for double vaccinated travellers, travel providers bringing forward flight schedules and more popular destinations like Singapore welcoming fully vaccinated Australians, restriction-free.
“As we have seen throughout the pandemic, travellers are willing to adjust to new measures, especially if it means they can travel safely and be reunited with the people and places they love. Travellers looking to plan their next trip and make sense of the latest rules can use Skyscanner’s interactive travel map, which uses straightforward visuals to show the current travel guidance at home and abroad, with different views depending on traveller vaccination status.
“To find the best flight deals, travellers can sign up to Skyscanner price alerts – a quick and easy way to be the first in the know for any change in prices to favourite chosen destinations.”
Since its launch, Skyscanner’s live travel map has been used over 38 million times globally to help travellers navigate Covid-19 restrictions. Its latest feature will let vaccinated Australian travellers see how the latest rules and regulations will affect their travel. It is constantly updated and full of rich information about current measures, quarantine requirements and travel corridors between Australia and the rest of the world.
Skyscanner is supporting travellers return to the skies with dedicated travel advice pages, flexible booking policy filters for flights, hotels, airline hygiene safety and hotel cleanliness ratings.
For more information and travel inspiration or to book your next holiday, visit www.skyscanner.com.au