“Staycation” “Staycation”

Kiwis are known the world over as intrepid travellers, yet when it comes to long weekend getaways almost two thirds (64%) of New Zealanders prefer a “staycation” at home.

According to a recent study the main reasons for staying at home on weekends was to relax (38%) and almost one in three (31%) were “too busy doing chores” to get away on weekends.  

However, of those who said they planned to stay home on the next long weekend, many still have aspirations for a great New Zealand road trip, with 40% saying they would like to experience the iconic drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound and 39% nominating the West Coast of the South Island as their dream drive.       

The research, conducted by Budget New Zealand which analysed a wide range of travel trends, found Kiwis were avid road trippers with almost three million people (62%) doing a roadie within New Zealand in the past year.

“Just because they are staying at home doesn’t mean they want to. They want to travel and explore this beautiful country,” said Bruce Vincer, General Manager at Budget New Zealand.

“The winter months are a prime example of this with thousands of New Zealanders hitting the ski slopes in both the North and South Islands. But Kiwis being Kiwis, they are equally content relaxing and hanging out in their own backyard and travelling to different parts of the region they live in.”

The survey of more than 1000 Kiwis found the drive from Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo and through the Mackenzie region was New Zealand’s most popular road trip (39%), narrowly beating Te Anau to Milford Sound and Christchurch to Queenstown (both 38%).

Aucklanders preferred to stay closer to home with the Auckland to Cape Reinga road trip top of the list (44%) followed closely by the drive from Christchurch to Queenstown.

Almost a quarter of Kiwis (22%) were likely to hire a car when going on a road trip holiday around the country, with almost a third (31%) of 25-34 years olds doing so.

The research also delved into what factors are important to New Zealanders when choosing a holiday destination.

More than a quarter (27%) chose a holiday destination based on its photographic potential. This number was higher for Millennials at 34% and 13% of this generational group chose a holiday spot based on how good it will look on social media.

Nearly half (49%) of Millennials said their ideal holiday location had to have adventurous activities compared to just 18% of Baby Boomers who would much rather look for nice weather (55%).

More than half of Kiwis (53%) chose a holiday destination to escape the regular nine-to-five of everyday life, with 44% favouring a cheap destination and 54% saying weather is the most important factor.