New finder.com.au study unwraps the “Christmas Travel Tax”
We’re checking our list of destinations to help you avoid inflated costs.
Choosing to travel over Christmas could cost you up to 83% more than if you’d chosen to travel at any other time of the year.
finder.com.au examined how the “Christmas Travel Tax” affects the cost of hotels, flights and car rentals across 10 international destinations and one domestic destination to see which had the most inflated costs during the holiday period.
The Bali hospitality industry has the highest “Christmas Travel Tax” of 83%, followed by Phuket (72%) and Goa (71%). The biggest contributor to Bali’s price inflation is the cost of flights, which experience a 150% increase during the holidays.
If you’re heading to Singapore you can expect to spend 170% more on your flights than you would during other periods. However, hotels in Singapore actually become cheaper during the holidays, offsetting the overall increase. In fact, when you add it all up, Singapore is the destination with the lowest percentage increase of all (9%).
Aussies with family members in the UK also get off easy. Travelling there during Christmas doesn’t come with that much of a higher price tag (11% increase). Hotel prices decrease during this time and flights stay relatively stable between November and February.
For Aussies thinking they can save by staying close to home should prepare to spend 63% more on flights, hotels and car rental if you travel to the Gold Coast. However, that’s not as bad as last year when the Gold Coast was imposing a 103% “tax.”
With prices already inflated, it makes sense to do everything in your power to avoid additional unexpected expenses.
For example, it’s always a good idea to secure your travel insurance well in advance. Something as minor as an ear infection can prevent your child from flying, and with the increased cost of travel during this time you’ll want to protect yourself from any cancellation costs.
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