Aussies To Spend $3.6 Billion To Burst Winter Blues Bubble

Almost four in five Australians (77 per cent) are, or know someone, stuck in winter-induced rut with the majority of locals (73 per cent) willing to spend up to $5,000 on a #Wintervention to escape grey skies, according to new consumer research from Cheapflights.com.au.

The survey of 1,500 locals uncovered the major tell-tale signs that Aussies have a serious case of the winter blues, including difficulty getting out of bed in the morning (65 per cent), a reliance on comfort food (56 per cent), socialising less (55 per cent) and binge watching favourite TV shows and movies (55 per cent). 

But while in this state of hibernation, Aussies are still daydreaming about their next getaway, with a quarter (25 per cent) of searches on Cheapflights.com.au conducted over the colder months. The research also found that even just this browsing can shift people’s moods, as most Aussies feel happy (85 per cent) or excited (83 per cent) when they start planning their trip, with these numbers increasing (87 per cent are happy and 86 per cent excited) once a holiday is booked. 

Nathan Graham, Regional Sales Manager at Cheapflights ANZ, said: “The shorter days, our freezing extremities and the hack-and-splutter of colds everywhere mean we become ghosts of our summertime selves, marching blindly through our day-to-day routines. But the sun is always shining somewhere and with new routes opening up across the country there’s even more opportunity to nab last-minute deals. Now is the time to investigate and stage that #Wintervention and thaw out those winter blues.”

According to the new survey, the desire to ‘chase the sun’ is one of the top four motivators for Aussies to book a flight (26 per cent), behind cheap flights and accommodation (56 per cent), good package deals (43 per cent), and joining a friend or family holiday (27 per cent). 

On the flip side, the study found that the number one barrier to Aussies booking a trip is the perception that it is ‘too expensive’, but Mr Graham said that across domestic, Asia Pacific and long haul destinations, prices are increasingly competitive. 

“There’s no need to break the bank, even when travelling to northern hemisphere favourites, with average minimum return airfares from $1,115 to Los Angeles, $1,363 to Paris, $1,414 to New York or $1,428 to London. And with locals willing to spend $3,551 on average to conquer their rut, these far flung hot destinations are well within reach.” 

Other key research findings included:

• While 70 per cent of Aussies admit to being stuck in a winter runt, we’re not alone. Respondents also see this with their loved ones (37 per cent), friends (30 per cent) and family (29 per cent)

• Men (49 per cent) and women (51 per cent) are suffering equally and likely to experience the tell-tale signs of the winter blues 

• Gen Y and X are at the highest risk with Aussies aged 25-34 years of age (22 per cent) and 35-44 years of age (19 per cent) most likely to dip into a winter rut

• The majority of people prefer not to travel alone (81 per cent) with a partner being the most likely travel companion (48 per cent), followed by family (24 per cent) and friends (nine per cent)

“These trends show that a large proportion of our population, across all demographics, are feeling the effects of the frosty season. Searching for or even staging a #Wintervention by booking a holiday for ourselves or our loved ones might be just the ticket to shift our mindsets and break away from the monotony of an indoor couch existence,” said Mr Graham.

To search for your next holiday, visit Cheapflights.com.au.

ENDS 

*NOTES TO EDITORS:

This research was commissioned by Cheapflights to explore Australians’ winter habits and moods. 1,500 Australians from a nationally representative sample completed the omnibus survey between Tuesday 6 June to Friday 9 June 2017. Additional insights are based on information gathered from search data via Cheapflights.com.au or the app.