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Friday 12 December 2008

Forget Romance – Australians Prefer A Holiday In 2009

Expedia survey reveals Australians look forward to taking a holiday more than anything – even a new romance

According to a recent poll, Australians look forward to taking a holiday five times more than the prospect of a new romance in 2009, and well ahead even of a pay rise or job promotion. And with 60% of Australians planning a holiday next year, it appears that we are not planning on sitting around at home waiting for Cupid to visit.

A survey[1][1] conducted recently by Expedia.com.auTM, operated by Expedia, Inc., the world's leading online travel company, revealed that while romance was low on the cards for Australians in 2009, they would choose heartthrob actor Hugh Jackman and supermodel Jennifer Hawkins as their preferred holiday partners, over the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Nicole Kidman, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Kevin Rudd.

When asked why going away on holiday was so important, the poll revealed that Australians appear to be suffering from end-of-year exhaustion, with more than 40% of the survey's over 1,000 respondents saying their ideal holiday would be 'total relaxation' – well ahead of it being an opportunity to spend more time with family (20%) or learn about other cultures (18%). It was also shown that the daily grind was what most Australians seek relief from in a holiday, with almost 60% citing an 'escape from routine' as the main motivation for going away on holiday, well ahead of taking a break from work (36%) or from social and family commitments (5%).

Just under half the respondents said they would be travelling on holiday this summer, with 75% of those saying they would be holidaying in Australia, followed by around 18% within Asia Pacific.

About a third of those not going away on holiday this summer cited the economic downturn and need to reduce debt as the main reasons for staying put. That said, three-quarters of all respondents, regardless of whether they were staying at home or going away agreed that going away on holiday was more relaxing than staying at home.

"While the Christmas holiday season is one of the busiest and most expensive times of year to travel, there are many ways to enjoy a holiday away without breaking the bank, said Louise Hurbert-Burns at Expedia® Australia.

"With the internet, it is now easier and quicker than ever to search for the best deals and book a holiday or short break away.

"With many airline seats going empty due to the economic downturn, airline competition is stiff to try and fill those seats, and together with falling international oil prices, there could well be compelling last-minute airfare deals this holiday season. So, if travel plans are flexible, travellers may find extraordinary bargains by letting the deal actually determine their destination.

"Travellers could also consider booking all their travel – like flights, hotel accommodation and car hire – together as a single package. With Expedia's technology, travellers can create their own package by combining all their travel needs with one single price tag. In most cases, doing so will deliver an additional saving compared to booking the items separately, which they can see instantly when booking," Ms Hurbert-Burns concluded.

For excellent travel deals and a great travel experience, visit www.expedia.com.au

About Expedia.com.au

Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE), the world's leading online travel company, operates Expedia.com.au™ (http://www.expedia.com.au) in Australia. Expedia.com.au helps Australians plan and book their travel by providing a personalised service, the latest technology and a wide selection of holiday packages, flights, hotels, hire cars and in-destination attractions, activities and transfers to suit their travel needs. With the Expedia Price Promise, Expedia offers to its customers the best rates available online for all types of travel, making it the most comprehensive customer guarantee in online travel.

Expedia is a registered trademark of Expedia, Inc. in the US and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.


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