Third of Kiwi adults planning holiday – survey

18th May 2020 By Staff Reporter | news@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker

Queenstown/Wanaka is the most popular destination people would definitely holiday in. Image: TT

The Bay of Islands is the destination of choice for New Zealanders planning a holiday in the next 7 to 12 months after Covid-19 travel restrictions were lifted, according to a new poll.

Horizon Research’s survey of 1131 adults between 28-30 April showed 34% of them intended to take a domestic holiday during the period, as alert levels allowed.

This scaled up to approximately 1.23 million people, said Horizon, which was up by 176,000 from the research firm’s 7-12 April measure of intentions.

The survey found an estimated 431,600 adults would definitely take their holiday in the Queenstown/Wanaka region, making them collectively the most popular destination. It was followed by the Bay of Islands, where 378,700 said they would definitely take their holiday, Nelson Tasman with 344,300, and Coromandel with 339,400.

The Bay of Islands was the top region where people would like to take their holiday, with 823,300, followed by Queenstown/Wanaka with 812,500, and Coromandel with 701,100.

Horizon’s principal, Graeme Colman, said definite and likely visitor numbers were large for some of the main centres, and the total potential was higher for some smaller regions than the actual numbers of domestic visitors they had experienced before Covid-19.

“We’re hopeful they can use the insights to make the most of the restart – and in each of the coming 12 months. It should help them target potential travellers who most want the holidays they are offering,” he said.

Horizon said that of those who said they would definitely take a domestic holiday expected to spend an average of $2,320 on their trip. About 12% of that group expected to spend more than $4000.

Around 61% wanted to see New Zealand’s scenery, 59% wanted a relaxing holiday, and another 59% wanted their holiday to be social/catching up/meeting people trip.

Survey results of those would like or definitely holiday in the next 12 months:

the Bay of Islands (an estimated 823,300 adults would like to holiday there). The number who will definitely holiday there in the next 7 to 12 months is estimated at 378,700.
812,500 would like to holiday in Queenstown/Wanaka (431,600 definite in the next 7 to 12 months)
701,100 in Coromandel (339,400)
420,600 in Rotorua (227,500)
668,700 in Nelson/Tasman (344,300),
557,300 West Coast (259,400),
269,600 Central Plateau/Tongariro/Ruapehu (134,000).