Travel

More than 80% of NZers are changing their plans to cope with increasing living costs.

Travellers could adjust how, when and where they vacation to cope with climate impacts.

High interest rates and the growing cost of living have turned sentiment negative for both domestic and international travel spend, according to Tony Alexander’s latest spending plans survey.

The pandemic’s lingering impact has driven people back to agents to help cope with uncertainty.

More than 300 delegates including 200 travel agents are gathering in Auckland this week for the Travel Managers Australia conference at Te Pae Christchurch.

Around three quarters of Kiwi LGBTQ+ respondents said they exercised caution when choosing destinations.

Helloworld has upgraded its FY23 earnings guidance to between AU$42m – $45m (NZ$45.3m – $48.5m) for the year to 30 June 2023, up from a loss of A$10.6m last year.

The rising cost of living and travel expenses are the biggest considerations for Kiwis’ holiday decisions, according to Booking.com’s latest Travel Confidence Index.

Operators will need to be on their game this spring and summer as competition heats up for Kiwi and Australian visitors.

Longer stays and more care over whether it is worth it are among the trends driving post-pandemic corporate travel, say industry specialists.

Qantas is lowering its trans-Tasman fares for trade partners in August.

New Zealand passport fees have increased this week, bringing the cost of an adult passport from $199 to $206 – a 3.5% rise. A child passport increased from $115 to $120, up 4.3%.

The International Air Transport Association has reported high levels of confidence among travellers for the peak northern hemisphere summer travel season.

The business travel platform says its FY23 NZ bookings were 136% of pre-pandemic levels.

STAAH and B2B travel provider Travepic have partnered in an effort to provide a distribution system that generates higher revenue and profits for accommodation providers.

Booking.com says rising living costs and climate anxiety are driving demand for more budget and planet-friendly options.

Queenstown is one of the top winter travel destinations in the world for Kiwis, according to a Google Flight Search study.

NZ travellers expect emerging tech to become a key part of the experience over the next decade, according to a new study by the travel technology company.

Virgin Voyages has launched its First Mates offering for travel partners in New Zealand.

The New Zealand passport has been ranked as one of the seventh most powerful passports in the world by the 2023 Henley Passport Index.

Consumers are highlighting the value they place on protecting nature and travelling responsibly, says the WTTC.

Longer booking lead times, high international travel costs, flexible working and a more digitised travel journey are amongst the top trends, according to new research.

APEC has launched a new portal that provides high-level information summaries of information on international travel.

Digital city guide Concrete Playground has launched an e-commerce travel platform aimed at young travellers across New Zealand and Australia.

Two in five travel managers said technology was a top pain point – however, 59% also said it was a top factor when selecting a travel management company.

How destinations welcome and accept LGBTIQ+ travellers can have a major impact on the visitor experience, with those supporting the rainbow community more likely to attract business.

New Zealand leisure and business bookings are recovering strongly, says Flight Centre.

Flight Centre has created a new product for travellers looking for more security and certainty while airlines and airports struggle to cope with high demand.

Kiwis are as keen as ever to travel at home despite international trips becoming easier, with a new report highlighting their top experiences and activities preferences.

Air New Zealand is reducing its service levels approaching a busy summer as it suffers its highest rates of crew sickness in a decade.

The future is bright for tourism and hospitality despite a challenging year as the tension between economic forces and pent-up demand for travel prompt consumer caution – and there are several things businesses can do to thrive, says Google’s head of travel.

People are generally cutting their overall expenditure but the desire to travel is still strong, says a survey.

New Zealand will benefit from growing confidence within Asia Pacific for people to travel and continuing good demand from Kiwis to explore domestically.

The first Air New Zealand flight to Samoa will touch down at Apia tomorrow as the Pacific Island reopens its borders.

Online searches by New Zealanders for travel and accommodation in June 2022 increased by more than 50% of what they were for the same month in pre-Covid 2019, says Google.

Air New Zealand has extended its Covid flexibility policy until 31 August following an influx of more than 20,000 passengers seeking to change their travel plans.

Limited air capacity is leading to fewer flight options and more expensive airfares for travellers, according to Corporate Traveller.

Consumer New Zealand is warning Kiwis to avoid using online travel agent eDreams.

The CEO’s first trip out of the country in three years aims to push NZ to the top of the Australian travel agenda.

Air New Zealand is heading into the busy July school holiday period amid potential disruption as staff illness and winter weather put pressure on the airline’s network.

More than 47,000 people travelled to Fiji in May 2022, including 10,000 New Zealanders.

New Covid-19 cases in Niue have been linked to a flight from New Zealand.

The operator marks its 20th year with a watchful eye on competition and continual product development as bookings recover.

Cost, safety and convenience are the top three considerations for Kiwis looking to book international travel in the next year, according to a new Booking.com analysis.

The desire to travel to New Zealand remains strong in ‘active considerers’ with airfares and Covid disruption the top concerns for overseas markets, according to a Tourism New Zealand analysis.

Cancelled flights, disrupted vacations, and frayed tempers are rife as people take to the skies and the airline industry comes under pressure.

New Zealand could see a 55%-60% return of pre-Covid visitor arrivals and spend by as early as the year ending May 2023, despite a lack of China-based airlines during the latter half of 2022.

Flight Centre wants to see the full opening of the border brought forward from 31 July and questions why there is a delay “considering the state of the economy”.

The removal of the requirement at midnight Monday arrives in time for the start of the southern ski season.

National Party Covid-19 response spokesperson Chris Bishop is calling on the government to drop pre-departure testing requirements for incoming visitors “right now”.