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Photo: Christine Linsdell, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Australian travellers are increasingly choosing holidays that help them switch off rather than tick off sights, according to two new pieces of travel research published on Thursday, October 29.
Skyscanner travel trends research reported by Karryon found that three in five Australians now want holidays that help them disconnect from constant digital noise to connect with culture, nature and loved ones. One in five Australians (19 percent) are planning to disconnect while travelling this year, and 65 percent said being off-grid would help them connect with nature more, while 58 percent said it would help them connect with themselves.
The shift skews young: among Australians aged 18 to 24, 71 percent said being off-grid would help them be more present in the moment, according to the same research. Tourism Tropical North Queensland, pointing to the Daintree rainforest and reef escapes, says demand is growing for experiences built around wellbeing, nature immersion and genuine disconnection.
Separate research points the same way. Booking.com's Travel Happiness Index, reported by Travel and Tour World, found that 89 percent of Australian holidaymakers would rather reschedule or change a trip than cancel it outright. The survey covered 10,136 respondents aged 21 and above across ten Asia-Pacific markets, including 1,011 participants from Australia, and found affordability, emotional wellbeing and trusted booking services shaping decisions alongside destination.
The two studies measure stated preferences, not confirmed bookings — the research shows what travellers say they want, not a guarantee of future travel patterns. But together they describe a consistent mood: flexibility first, rest over itineraries, and experiences chosen for personal value rather than photo opportunities.
What happens next is a test for the travel industry. Operators that offer transparent, flexible booking conditions and genuinely restorative experiences — rainforest retreats, reef escapes and cultural stays that encourage slowing down — are best placed to meet a market that increasingly treats a holiday as recovery, not just escape.