News on the changing demographic profile of Bali tourist visitors has come from a survey conducted by The Australian Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) that reveals that Indonesia and Bali are no longer Australia’s favorite overseas destinations.
The TTF Survey, released on Thursday, 14 December 2023, has seen Bali bumped from its long-held number one position as the preferred Australian holiday destination to number seven.
In the race to be Australia’s most favored holiday destination, the TTF Survey shows the revised popularity ranking as follows:
- New Zealand
- Europe
- Japan
- Thailand
- Singapore
- Malaysia
- Indonesia
Only 4% of those responding to the TTF Survey chose Bali and Indonesia as their preferred holiday destination. Conversely, 17% of surveyed preferred New Zealand, 16% preferred Europe, and 10% preferred Japan.
The TTF Survey conducted in December 2023 asked Australians traveling abroad in the coming year about their travel plans.
The CEO of TTF, Margy Osmond, expressed her surprise that Bali no longer occupied a leading position as a preferred holiday destination for Australians. Also noteworthy is the growing popularity of Japan as a destination for Australian holidaymakers, now ranked at number three.
Osmond commented that Australians report their Japanese hosts are amiable, serve outstanding cuisine, share their interesting culture, and offer snow-ski holidays.
She also noted the intense competition Indonesia now confronts from other destinations in Asia, such as Singapore and Thailand – Australia’s fondness for Bali remains strong.
Meanwhile, many adverse media reports cover Bali’s problems with refuse-filled beaches, traffic congestion, and flooding during rain.
Osmond remains confident that many Australians will travel to Bali over the coming 12 months, driven to a great extent by the fact that the island remains among the cheapest overseas destinations from Australia.
The findings of the TTF Survey are mirrored by recent reports from Expedia confirming that Bali was no longer the top destination for Australian tourists displaced in that survey by Japan.
The operational director of Expedia, Daniel Finch, said Bali was in tight competition with Hawaii and Fiji as the most preferred destination for Australian travelers. He contends that Australia’s high cost of living is causing Australians to change their holiday travel plans.
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