WELL TRAVELLED
ROAD TRIPPING Many of us plan to travel big, far and wide in Australia in 2022.
RECENT RESEARCH by leading van-sharing platform Camplify reveals many Australians intend to travel for longer periods – and further across the country – this year. Most will self-drive, and many aspire to be on the road for multiple weeks or even months. Their key motivations for road trip travel are to feel free, reconnect with people and nature, and spend time in Australia’s most iconic places. Camplify has identified six key trends shaping how people will travel in 2022.
Priority road trip activities include: • Visiting and watching the sunset at Uluru - 55% • Driving down the Great Ocean Road - 45% • Exploring outback Australia - 38% • Hiking Cradle Mountain - 27% • Swimming with whale sharks in Exmouth - 26% • Enjoying snow sports in the Snowy Mountains - 23% • Spotting penguins on Phillip Island - 24% • Snapping a selfie with a Quokka - 22% • Seeing a Koala in the wild - 20% • Sightseeing with crocodiles - 21%
1. Aussies plan to travel further, do more and stay longer. Aussies will embrace road trip getaways throughout 2022, with their ‘must-dos’ including visits to iconic destinations and quintessentially Australian experiences. As such, travel aspirations are as big and diverse as the country itself. According to the company’s research, 54% of respondents said they would like to travel in a van for around two months or more in 2022, allowing enough time to see more of Australia and explore bucket list destinations.
2. Non-static, self-drive holidays offer people the freedom they’ve been craving. Revealing why people want to road trip travel in Australia in 2022, Camplify’s research showed the priority motivations include: the freedom of having no set plan (63%); spending quality time with family (43%) and friends (20%); getting to know ‘the real’ Australia (15%), meeting new people (31%), eating local (39%) and spending time in local communities/supporting local businesses (20%). Other factors include respecting Australia’s indigenous heritage, natural places and wildlife
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(33%), learning more about Australia’s culture and history (29%) and outdoor activities such as swimming (24%) and hiking (26%). Self-drive motorhomes offer the ultimate freedom, as well as the ability to pivot between places quickly. They also offer a simple solution for fast and easy road tripping. 3. Van life transitions to van lifestyle. Van stays now represent approximately 20% of tourism nights in Australia, with around a quarter of people intending to experience ‘van life’ for the first time in 2022. Being outdoors isn’t just a holiday anymore, it has become a lifestyle choice for many as people shake off old travel habits and try new things. The key signals of redefined caravan and camping in 2022 include: Aussies looking to incorporate a luxe lifestyle into their travel. Many are opting for RVs that include onboard bathrooms, making van stays ‘apartments on wheels’.
