77992

Leading hotel distribution and revenue platform, SiteMinder, has today released its 2025 Changing Traveller Report which highlights events such as concerts and music festivals, family gatherings or sporting events to be a major tourism drawcard for Australians.

More than half Australians (59%) are now more likely to travel for events compared to last year, including family reunions/celebrations (31%), concerts/music festivals (23%), and sporting events (18%). Among those who will travel for a concert/music festival, three-fifths (60%) will book their accommodation immediately or within a week of buying their tickets. Additionally, 53% of Australians support hotels pricing their rooms based on demand. This support rises to 73% among Gen Zers.

The report also reveals Australian tourists are the most likely to travel solo next year, including 24% of Gen Z travellers the generation anticipated to shape the future of tourism as the rise of the ‘everything traveller’ – a new traveller with a multifaceted blend of trending and traditional plans, reflecting the shifting dynamics within travel – gains momentum.

SiteMinder’s report analyses research conducted by Kantar in August 2024, drawing insights from the largest survey globally on accommodation, which surveyed over 12,000 travellers across 14 of the world’s largest tourism markets, including Australia.

The most popular domestic destinations for Australian solo travellers will be Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Meanwhile, their most popular international destinations will be the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand, Thailand and Japan.

While the cost-of-living crisis will continue to impact many choices for Australian tourists, it won’t limit their plans to have meaningful experiences. Over a third (38%) intend to spend more on accommodation during their next trip compared to last year, especially Gen Zers, while 53% will spend the same amount. Breakfast (45%), early check-in/late check-out (31%), room size (31%), a room with a view (25%) and bed size (23%) are what travellers will pay extra for.

Australian travellers also plan to enjoy experiences that don’t necessarily come with a high price tag, with 38% listing shower pressure as one of their top three hotel room features – the highest globally. Australians are also the most likely to camp, surpassing French travellers who topped the list last year. When it comes to solo travellers, these choices are perhaps unsurprising in light of almost half (48%) earning less than $30,000 a year.

Gen Z is leading the tourism evolution
SiteMinder’s research shows Australian Gen Z tourists are looking for and building experiences in new ways, pushing accommodation providers to think differently about their services. A staggering 78% of Gen Zers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly accommodation, pushing hotels to adopt sustainable practices.

Three-fifths (65%) of Gen Z Australian travellers also intend to spend either a considerable amount or most of their time at their accommodation, favouring onsite experiences such as live music performances (34%), spa services (32%), cultural cooking classes (29%), and gourmet dining and wine tasting (27%).

When researching their accommodation for a trip, almost half of Australian travellers (45%) will use a search engine such as Google, and 14% will turn to online travel agencies like Booking. com. One-in-five (20%) Gen Z travellers will use social media, in comparison to only 9% of Millennials and 1% of Baby Boomers.

Bradley Haines, Regional Vice President of Asia Pacific at SiteMinder noted “this year, we are seeing the rise of the ‘everything traveller’ – a new type of traveller who demands both cutting-edge tech and authentic human connection in their travel experiences. While they seek fair pricing, they’re willing to fork out for standout events and unique perks. Gen Z, in particular, is transforming the travel landscape, pushing hotels to be more transparent, accessible online and intentional in how they deliver meaningful experiences. It’s an exciting evolution for the industry.”

Access SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2025

More information on siteminder.com. 

Research methodology
Powered by Kantar, in August 2024, SiteMinder asked more than 12,000 travellers in 14 of the world’s largest tourist markets (Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, UK and USA) 25 accommodation-specific questions.

SiteMinder then analysed responses by gender, generation, location (urban, suburban and rural), travel plans (domestic, international or both), work plans, travel companion, household income and preferred accommodation type.

Image. Coldplay at Accor Stadium Nov 2024 Credit: Accor Stadium

Related Articles

8th October 2024 - Siteminder reveals positive impact of Coldplay on Sydney hotel bookings

21st September 2024 - SiteMinder makes dynamic demand-based pricing accessible to all hotels

30th April 2024 - SiteMinder strengthens partnership with online Trip site to cater for rebounding Chinese tourism

15th March 2024 - SiteMinder launches on mobile offering hospitality sector new era of dynamic revenue management

31st January 2024 - SiteMinder reveals latest trends in hotel bookings

26th September 2023 - SiteMinder report shows Australians plan to continue travelling despite rise in cost of living

15th February 2023 - SiteMinder analysis reveals guests booking Australian hotels 23% earlier

6th April 2022 - SiteMinder unveils next generation platform to make hotel technology universal

27th October 2024 - New measures amplify protection for NSW live music venues

23rd October 2024 - Targeted Federal Government funding to support festivals and live music venues

15th October 2024 - Law changes proposed to reboot NSW nightlife, live music and entertainment precincts

17th September 2024 - NSW Government amends laws to help struggling music festival industry

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

Click here to view our subscription options.