The pandemic has blurred together the way Australians travel, work, and live, with research commissioned by AirBnb finding that 41% of Aussies who self-identified as hybrid/remote employees would rather quit their jobs than go back to work in-person full-time.

Around two thirds of the 1,500 Australian respondents said they have come to expect more flexibility from their employers and 71% agree that Zoom and video conferencing has ended the need for some business travel and allows some people to live and work from anywhere.

Nearly a third said that after the pandemic they will live somewhere else while working remotely more often than they did before the crisis, and 34% said they won’t even need permanent residences.

When planning a trip, Australians ranked price, location, and safety as their top three most important considerations.

Airbnb’s Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Susan Wheeldon said Aussies are embracing new ways of living, working and travelling.

“From farm stays to yurts, beach shacks and tiny homes, Airbnb Hosts offer up authentic stays that help guests experience their community in a genuine and connected way – something we know Australian guests are seeking as they make the most of added flexibility and the ability to live anywhere.”

Ready to travel this holiday season

Australians are being encouraged to give "the gift of travel" this holiday season and support the tourism industry which has been doing it tough throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourism Australia's latest campaign aims to generate domestic travel to help the struggling industry. 

Tourism Australia's Sentiment Tracker data shows that this campaign coincides with renewed optimism from the country about domestic travel in the coming months. 

According to the data, 47% of respondents are eager to travel as soon as possible, or considering travel. 

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Source: Tourism Australia Sentiment Tracker

In the short term, 36% of Australians are intending to travel in the next three months, up significantly as state borders and lockdowns are easing.

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Source: Tourism Australia Sentiment Tracker

Tourism Australia Chief Marketing Officer Susan Coghill said December and January are traditionally the largest travelling months and that this summer will coincide with strong pent-up demand for travel.

“The latest travel sentiment data shows the majority of Australians are either thinking or dreaming about their next holiday and now is the time to convert that into gift vouchers and actual holiday bookings,” Ms Coghill said.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison said giving the gift of travel is about giving back to tourism operators and communities who have been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Last year, Australians spent, on average, $770 on gifts during the holiday season equating to $16 billion in total. If we can encourage people to spend just a fraction of that on travel instead it would be a multi-billion dollar boost for the tourism industry.”

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