Australians are embracing a ‘seize the day’ mentality despite cost of living pressures, with ‘bucket list’ experience bookings growing by 22 per cent year-on-year.
Published by Big Red Group, ANZ’s largest experience marketplace and parent company to Adrenaline, Experience Oz and RedBalloon – the ‘Seasonal Experiences Index for Autumn/Winter 2023’ report indicates that Australians are spending greater amounts, but less often, in an attempt to secure more value-driven experiences.
Key highlights from the report are outlined below:
Sky-high escapism: People are taking to the skies to avoid the cost of living crisis – with jet fighter flights, hot air balloon rides, and mystery flight packages seeing highest growth in bookings year-on-year.
Domestic not boring: Staying local isn’t preventing Australians seeking out new and exciting adventures
The fastest growing categories for Autumn 2023 included:
Adventure sports (+1786 per cent)
Skiing and snowsports (+658 per cent)
Driving experiences (+355 per cent)
Escape rooms (+128 per cent)
Getting back to nature: Off-grid getaways and cabin retreats surge in popularity as Aussies lean into escapism, outselling previous fan-favourite glamping by 56 per cent.
Year of the foodie: Food Tasting experiences have also seen a substantial increase in demand this year (+290 per cent), with tours in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide enjoying standout success.
Outer suburbs on the rise: Booking data points to a sharp rise in activity in areas outside of city centres, whilst popular holiday destinations including Cairns, the Gold Coast and Whitsundays have seen a downturn this year.
