Why are many Australians cautious to book their holidays?

Many Australians want to travel abroad but figuring out where and when is becoming a huge problem.

Skyscanner, a ticket aggregator, recently conducted a survey and discovered that while 44% of individuals plan to go abroad in the next year, 70% are deterred by the constantly shifting and complicated regulations surrounding international travel.

Experts agree that this scepticism is warranted.

People in Australia were looking at Europe, for example, as a secure place to visit around a month ago,” epidemiologist Professor Alexandra Martiniuk from the University of Sydney said.

People’s attitudes about tourism may shift again as Europe heads into a new wave of infections turmoil.

Professor Martiniuk noted that these logistical problems are quickly becoming as significant as health concerns for many Australians.

‘In COVID, everything is possible,’ she remarked.

There is a need for people to recognise the fact that things change quickly, and judgments are easily made. ”

Several countries have declared they will not do that, but governments have also claimed they would never go into lockdown again. ”

Professor Martiniuk, on the other hand, emphasised that no one can put off travel indefinitely and that Australians must get used to living with COVID.

Many would-be travellers are now considering using the services of a travel agency again as a result of the current state of things.

According to Dean Long, CEO of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, travel agencies are more important than ever to know about COVID travel today. As events and tourism begin to pick up again, they’ll be vital.

Members of COVID travel may be found “easily and everywhere from online to on the high street, and we are happy to be leveraging our travel experience to benefit Australians.”

Professor Martiniuk identified New Zealand as an ideal destination where the COVID situation is pretty safe, and Australian visitors are expected to be welcomed in the new year.

If you’re looking for a more exotic location, Fiji is an option.

Professor Martiniuk noted, “The Pacific islands have meagre COVID numbers yet have very weak health systems.”

Singapore has a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) that allows Australians who have been fully vaccinated to enter the country without quarantine.

In contrast, despite a recent surge in COVID instances, Singapore has emerged from its domestic restrictions.

For example, Hong Kong and mainland China manage to keep the number of cases low, but tourists are barred from visiting such places, making them less attractive as vacation spots.

When it comes to huge countries like the United States, examining the situation on a more local level is worthwhile because of the significant differences in vaccination coverage between states.

While some airlines provide free rebooking for tickets bought with points, NSW is the first Australian state to legislate clearer cancellation and rebooking policy in the travel sector.

When it comes to government-imposed travel limitations, most travel insurance policies don’t cover additional accommodation or rebooking expenses.

Australians’ inability to travel due to concerns about their health is diminishing, so addressing the remaining logistical and financial issues will be critical in getting them back out into the world.