Speaking with Travel Daily, VisitBritain’s new Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Kristen Angus, revealed the organisation’s latest internal figures predict that 1.26 million visits will be made before the end of the year.
“That really is remarkable for a country that is over 24 hours away and was not open to Aussies until 2022,” Angus said. “We are not seeing that demand abate either, and we are also seeing air connectivity return, which is important because we know Australians are very robust at finding the way they want to travel to maximise their time.”
Angus added that open-jaw travel is becoming more common, not only flying into the UK but in the way people are travelling around the destination as well.
Looking further ahead to 2030, Angus said VisitBritain’s forecast will cement Australia beyond a $2 billion spend market. While Australia remains a mature market rich in repeat visits, Angus noted the highest growth last year was made in the colder months of Jan to Mar.
“We saw this period increase by 19% when compared to the previous year before,” Angus said. “Australians are no longer rusted-on, fair weather travellers.”
“I think this market is increasingly understanding they want true authentic experiences, and that doesn’t always come in summer months.”
Part of that success is attributable to the experience and ongoing education of travel agents, Angus said, adding that Australia is over-indexed on its use of travel advisors.
“Travel advisors are such an important channel for what people choose to do, so for us, working with out agents and unlocking those uniquely British and hidden experiences is key,” Angus explained.
“We really are seeing that Australians are increasingly wanting to get under the skin [of Britain], and a lot of that is bookable product, so we are working very closely with agents to accommodate for that shift in booking pattern.”
