Kiwis do fly
Taking off to destinations near and far have been on many Kiwi’s lists this year, with flight bookings up 53% in 2023, compared with the same period in 2022.
Kiwi interest in international and trans-Tasman travel has jumped this year, now collectively accounting for 39% of all bookings compared with 31% in 2022, says Australian-based communications agency History Will Be Kind.
Other findings of its research show that Kiwis are booking significantly further in advance, with an average international booking lead time of 82 days in 2023, compared with 75 days in 2022. And they are shaving 11% off the length of their trips with a 23-day average for international trips, and 8 days for trans-Tasman in 2023, down from 26 and 9 respectively in 2022.
Looking ahead to 2024, Kiwis are already pinning down their travel plans in advance, with bookings for next year up 49% compared with equivalent periods last year. Top destinations already booked for travel in 2024 include hopping across the ditch to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, and Perth, island time in Apia (Samoa), Fiji, Rarotonga, and Tonga, and further afield to Manila and London.
