The research highlighted how there are two key barriers that travel brands must first address in order to achieve conversion. They are the issues of fear and uncertainty – concerns that could best be managed by addressing a need for a feeling of safety and clarity around travel, and what would happen if travel had to be cancelled.

Consumers are also being more pragmatic about their travel, with the findings highlighting that more than half of respondents are comfortable with short flights while 87 per cent are comfortable with travelling by private car, opening up opportunities for local/short-haul weekend-stay providers, in particular.

Kirsty Macmillan, national director Kantar, said: “What is interesting about this research is evidence of resultant travel behaviour change from situational factors. As consumers continue to adapt, remaining agile, building trust and helping consumers resolve tensions is key for brands.”

The research also highlighted that as consumers continue to navigate through uncertainty, they are becoming more flexible and open around their travel plans while still ensuring they put aside money for travel.

The research also gives an insight into consumer spending expectations, with around 22 per cent of respondents planning to “spend more than usual” on travel within Australia while 38 per cent would spend their normal travel budget on “more short/frequent trips within Australia”, highlighting the opportunity for conversion among domestic travel brands.

“The ‘new normal’ might have become a bit of a cliché,” said Stephenson, “But it’s a real thing when it comes to travel. Consumers understand and accept that there are new things to consider when planning a trip, and in return they are looking for flexibility and adaptiveness on the part of brands. Providing this will be key to conversion as the travel industry returns to growth.”

Stephenson also noted that Nine was uniquely positioned to help travel marketers stimulate demand as the industry moves into this recovery phase. As part of the State of the Nation travel event he announced that the company was making a number of key initiatives in publishing and through its data assets to help the industry grow and reach consumers looking to travel.

These initiatives include the launch of nine newly designated Travel tribes, part of Nine’s 9Tribes data product – segments created specifically to help travel marketers target audiences across Nine’s network of assets with emphasis on domestic travel, which include segments like “fly and relax travellers” and “wine region explorers”.