More families going overseas in the 2017 school holidays
Now's the time to do Asia, according to hotel booking numbers.
According to booking data from Wotif, more Australian families are anticipated to head overseas for the July school holidays this year.
The top international destinations are all about finding great value getaways, with more people in 2017 searching for school holiday stays at five overseas countries in particular, compared to the previous year.
- Vietnam - 75% more, with interest in Ho Chi Minh City almost doubling (195% more) since last year.
- Malaysia - 60% more
- Thailand - 60% more
- Hong Kong - 55% more
- Singapore - 50% more
None of these yet match the overall popularity Queensland, but Queensland wasn't really any more popular this year than the last.
So what's changed? It's all about value for money. This year saw a lot of changes to make international travel easier than ever, especially across budget-friendly Asia.
- Vietnam - Jetstar launched its new Sydney and Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City route.
- Malaysia - AirAsia keeps bringing out the Malaysia sales with prices as low as $151 return to Malaysia.
- Thailand - Frequent sales make it easy to access for less, plus just an all around great destination.
- Hong Kong - Virgin Australia kicks off its new Hong Kong route in July, and impending competition drives flight prices right down.
- Singapore - Scoot, Singapore's own budget airline, make the Lion City a lot cheaper in 2017.
"It is now easier than ever for Aussie families to head further afield" says Wotif Travel Specialist, Kirsty La Bruniy. "As competitive airfares continue to rise, there is no surprise we’re seeing a surge in interest."
Bali still remains the favourite overseas destination for Australians, but these five, and Vietnam in particular, look like they might catch up in a hurry.
The cheap accommodation and all around low prices in Vietnam are also major draws, with a family of 2 adults and 2 kids being able to book decent rooms from around $127 a night, making it considerably cheaper than equivalent accommodation in Australia.
Australians have always loved to head overseas. A separate Wotif survey showed that about 70% actively prefer to go as far afield as possible. Of these, about half say they choose international destinations so their kids can have a chance to see the world.
The interest has always been there, and with all the cheap new international flights coming in it's no surprise that more Australian families are heading further abroad. International getaways were made a lot easier in 2017 - all it takes is a bit of bargain hunting.
- Vietnam - Flights from $255 return and other deals.
- Malaysia - Flight sales, accommodation deals and more.
- Thailand - Check for Thailand flight sales.
- Hong Kong - Flights from $504 return.
- Singapore - Flights from $218 return.
- Accommodation: You can pick up some great hotel discounts at Wotif, and there's still time to grab discounts for the school holidays.
Also, some of the best deals come and go pretty fast. If you subscribe below, you can get them sent right to your inbox as soon as they drop.
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