Despite the cost-of-living crisis, Australians are still keen to make holiday plans in 2024, with digital audiences for travel searches notching up record numbers in January, according to Ipsos iris data.
January travel content had the highest audience since Ipsos Iris began, up 2.8 per cent compared to December, and up 4.2 per cent on the same time in 2023, proving Australians are still planning holidays, despite rising interest and inflation rates.
Ipsos iris, Australia’s digital audience measurement currency endorsed by IAB Australia, showed the most consumed website and app categories in January were search engines (21 million), social networking (21 million), technology (20.9 million), retail and commerce (20.7 million) and entertainment (20.6 million).
Homes and property was the fastest growing category in January, rising by 6.5 per cent compared to December, as Australians sought out new properties and renovation inspiration in the new year.
Almost 20.3 million people used a news website or app in January – slightly down compared to December, but up slightly on the same time in 2023.
Sports, floods and cyclones dominated local Australian news, with royalty and pop royalty alike, garnering interest in January. Many Australians looked to celebrate Danish Queen Mary’s proud Aussie roots, along with Taylor Swift’s Australian tour – the Danish Coronation and Swift’s appearance at the Golden Globes dominated news interest.
Other major global and local news events continued to fuel online reading of news sites, including the release of names connected with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Princess Catherine’s surgery, the crisis in the Middle East, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami warning, tropical cyclone Kirrily and the Victorian floods.
Sport website and app viewing also peaked in January, up 5 per cent on December and 7.1 per cent on the same time last year, as record numbers of Australians choose to consume sport digitally. Interestingly, 10 per cent more women consumed sport content in January 2024, than a year ago. Tennis, particularly the Australian Open, and cricket proved to spike sporting interest over summer.
The chart below shows the sports brands’ ranking during January 2024 by online audience size.
Australians’ thirst for local and international news drove increased audience numbers for several national outlets. The News category includes audience and time spent online on both general news and broader news content including weather, sport, lifestyle, entertainment, and business news.
The chart below shows the News brands’ ranking during January 2024 by online audience size.
Ipsos iris, which officially launched in March 2023, provides accurate data about the 21 million Australians aged 14+ who access a wide variety of digital content and services across smartphone, PC/laptop and tablet devices.
