Twenty-six per cent of domestic tourists in Australia stayed at a three or four star motel or hotel on their last domestic holiday compared to 43% who took the cheaper option of staying at the home of a…
Twenty-six per cent of domestic tourists in Australia stayed at a three or four star motel or hotel on their last domestic holiday compared to 43% who took the cheaper option of staying at the home of a friend or relative, according to the latest Roy Morgan Research Single Source data.
Best Western is the most popular motel/hotel brand, with 20% of those who have stayed at motel or hotel in the last 12 months when on holiday choosing a Best Western motel.
Serviced apartments or rented houses/units are growing in popularity with 19% of tourists staying at one on their last domestic holiday, up from 16% in 2001. Cabins and caravans have declined in popularity during the past five years, down from 13% to 11%.
Jane Ianniello, Roy Morgan Research International Director of Tourism, Travel & Leisure, says: “Although a majority (68%) of Australians claim to be ‘an environmentalist’ and almost nine-in-10 (87%) try to recycle, just 18% would avoid accommodation that does not have genuine environmental policies.”
“With 65% of Australians agreeing that ‘environmentally friendly products are overpriced’ it is unlikely that the average tourist would choose a more expensive motel or hotel simply because it implemented ‘green’ practices.”
Tourists who stay at motels or hotels tend to be couples (47%), whilst tourists staying at serviced apartments or rented houses/units tend to be families (52%) — serviced apartments and rented houses/units are ideal for families as they usually have more space and cooking facilities. The graph below shows the proportion of different travelling parties (eg. family) that stay in a motel compared to those who stay in a serviced apartment/rented house or unit.
Tourists who holiday in capital cities such as Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane often opt to stay with friends or relatives.
By contrast, those holidaying at the Gold Coast are more likely to pay for their accommodation. The high concentration of strata-title holiday units close to the Gold Coast beachfront means that serviced apartments and rented houses/units are a very popular form of accommodation with tourists, especially with families. For example, the graph below shows that 34% of Australians (aged 14+) who have taken a holiday to the Gold Coast in the past 12 months stayed at a serviced apartment/rented accommodation.
Given that serviced apartments or rented houses/units are favoured by families, it is not surprising that the key types of holidays for tourists staying in this type of accommodation are: “Rest and Relaxation”, “Beach Holiday” and “Short Break to Escape the Grind”. The graph below shows, for example, that of Australians (aged 14+) who stayed at a serviced apartment/rented accommodation on their last domestic holiday, 32% said they went surfing/swimming compared to 18% who stayed at a motel.
What type of information should accommodation establishments provide to their patrons to encourage them to stay longer in the region and spend more?
The key activities undertaken by tourists are dining and shopping, with other interests being special events and festivals, nature activities, historical places, gardens/parks, and surfing/swimming. The graph below shows, for example, that of Australians (aged 14+) who have taken a domestic holiday in the past 12 months, 32% who said they went surfing/swimming stayed at a serviced apartment/rented accommodation compared to 18% who stayed at a motel.
Do tourists prefer accommodation that has ‘green’ practices to conserve water, save energy and reduce waste?
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
