Travel is on the Aussie mind

By Ian Silvera, Account Director

Research reaches us from Down Under that Australians are hoping to travel more domestically and to New Zealand as the country starts to open-up. Our colleagues at Newgate Research Australia have crunched the figures following a survey of 1,200 people, finding that nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) expect to travel within their state for leisure or personal reasons within the next month, with 46% expecting to do so in the next two months.

Support for interstate and New Zealand border openings has also grown significantly. A vast majority of Australians (70%) now think that it is appropriate to open state borders within the next three months compared to just 58% two weeks ago. 

Support for opening the border with New Zealand in the next three months has also increased to 54% from 39% two weeks ago. However, reflecting an ongoing concern about the potential for a second wave and a subsequent revision on lockdowns, only one in 10 support opening other international borders.

In another positive development, concern about coronavirus is now at its lowest level (68% ‘extremely’ and ‘very concerned’) since their survey series began on 12 March. Just over half now expect the pandemic situation to get better in the next three months (51% up from 45% last week).

Economic optimism also picked up, with nearly three in five (59%) thinking the economy will get better in the next year – up significantly from 52% last week.

Despite the lift in confidence, the overall economic impact, jobs and unemployment and a potential recession remain the biggest concerns about coronavirus. Some 79% are ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ concerned about the economy with 70% concerned about job opportunities and unemployment (both slightly up from last week).