Holidaymakers are set to flock to regional Australia in record numbers this Summer, putting Boomtown firmly in their sights as the place to visit, with an extra 1.3 million metro residents intending to shop and play regionally this holiday season compared with the prior year.
4.7 million, or 79% of metro summer travellers have said they’ll be heading to Boomtown this Christmas and New Year, an increase of 12% YOY, according to the latest SCA iQ Summer Study.
In addition, 2.1 million regional Aussies, or 85% of regional travellers, plan to explore or staycation in regional areas this Summer, providing a huge opportunity for brands to reach relaxed Aussie holidaymakers at scale.
Both metro and regional vacationers are set to spend big in regional Australia, intending dropping significant dollars on eating out (88%), alcohol (69%), accommodation (66%), shopping (57%), entertainment (21%) and car hire (12%).
Road trips are high on the agenda, with 85% set to travel by car to their holiday destination.
Boomtown chairman and SCA chief sales officer, Brian Gallagher, said: “Last year was a record summer for regional Australia, with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions encouraging people to jump in the car and travel. This year is set to be even bigger – not only are the majority of city siders choosing to travel to regional Australia, but Boomtown residents are also opting to holiday in their own backyards. That means 6.8 million wallets ready to spend, so now is the time for brands to take advantage of the predicted summer holiday migration and invest in regional campaigns.”
Last month, Boomtown’s annual study of media buyers across the country explored awareness and perceptions of regional media, the Boomtown brand, and the Boomtown Hub for media planning.
Among the results highlights:
• 98% of media buyers say regional media is effective in achieving a ROI
• 75% cite regional’s ‘valuable audiences’ as a key reason for its inclusion in campaigns
• 72% say regional media provides access to local audiences and local reach
• Almost one in three media buyers added regional media to client campaigns after hearing or seeing Boomtown advertising – an increase of 43% year on year.