International Holidays 33 Percent More Expensive Than Pre-COVID
But higher costs are not dampening Australians’ desire to travel abroad
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Travelling overseas is significantly more expensive than before the pandemic, and the cost has risen at a much faster rate than domestic travel. New Finder research shows domestic holidays are 19 percent more expensive than pre-COVID, while international holidays now cost 33 percent more.
Australians are spending an average of $6,765 on international trips, according to Finder. Accommodation is the most expensive component at $2,343 on average, closely followed by flights at $2,153. Finder’s travel expert, Angus Kidman said higher demand had pushed prices up. “International travel has become more costly as pent-up demand and the peak European summer season coincide.” Other factors that have made international travel more expensive in 2023 include higher jet fuel prices, staff shortages at airlines and airports, worldwide inflation and airlines being slow to return all their planes to the sky following their fleets’ grounding during COVID-19.
But higher costs have not deterred people from heading abroad. Australians are making up for lost time, with ‘COVID revenge travel’ prompting many to head overseas this year. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, leisure dominated overseas travel intentions in FY23, with 53 percent of travellers going overseas for a holiday, 32 percent travelling to visit friends and family and only 6 percent heading overseas on business.
Government forecasts show Aussies will keep travelling overseas in 2024 despite the significantly higher costs, and demand is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of the new year. However, there are signs that the cost-of-living crisis is starting to bite, and 2024 may the last big year of revenge travel before Australians tighten their belts. According to the Tourism Forecasts for Australia 2023 to 2028 report: “In 2023, 9.8 million resident returns are expected, which would be 86 percent of the pre-pandemic level. This increases to 11.3 million resident returns in 2024, which is nearing parity with the number of resident returns in 2019. Looking forward, cost-of-living and budget pressures in Australia are expected to weigh on outbound travel growth. Compared to last year’s forecasts, the profile for outbound growth is very similar. However, high global travel costs and reduced household savings in Australia have had a mild dampening effect.”
Finder says 54 percent of Australians intend to travel in the new year, with 15 percent heading overseas, 14 per cent intending to travel both overseas and domestically, and 25 percent planning to holiday only in Australia. Online travel agent KAYAK says searches for 2024 flights are up dramatically. “As Aussies, travel is in our DNA and despite macroeconomic uncertainties it looks like many Aussies are still struck by the travel bug, with searches for flights to both international and domestic destinations up 47 percent for travel over the next 12 months compared to last year,” said brand director Nicola Carmichael.
Top 10 overseas destinations for Australians in 2023
- Indonesia
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Thailand
- France
- New Zealand
- Japan
- Singapore
- Vietnam
Source: Finder Travel Inflation Report
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A McLaren Vale Shiraz has beaten more than 100 global rivals to be crowned the world’s best at one of the wine industry’s most respected competitions.
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A $25 bottle of Shiraz from South Australia has achieved something few wines ever do: it has claimed the top spot in a prestigious international competition and outperformed rivals many times its price.
The 2023 Classic Shiraz from Beresford Estate in McLaren Vale was awarded the International Syrah Trophy at the 2026 International Wine Challenge, one of the wine industry’s most respected judging events.
The wine also received 97 points, a Gold Medal and four major trophies, making it the highest-scoring Australian trophy winner in this year’s competition.
The result placed the wine first among 111 Shiraz entries from around the world and ahead of several highly regarded Australian trophy-winning wines.
For wine lovers, the award is notable not only for the competition’s standing but also for the price. At a recommended retail price of just $25, the Beresford Classic Shiraz sits firmly in the everyday-drinking category rather than the rarefied world of collector wines.
Head winemaker Natalie Cleghorn said the result reflected the quality of fruit produced in McLaren Vale.
“This result is a genuine reflection of what McLaren Vale is capable of. When you let the fruit and the site do the talking, the quality speaks for itself.”
According to the tasting notes, the wine opens with blueberry and plum aromas alongside floral notes and spice, while the palate delivers red cherry, plum, dried fruit, eucalyptus, and savoury spice, supported by bright acidity and fine-grained tannins.
The accolade adds to the growing reputation of Beresford Estate, which was founded in 1985 and has accumulated more than 2,000 medals and 200 trophies globally. The estate is located on a 70-acre vineyard in McLaren Vale and produces a range of wines including Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
While luxury wine collectors often chase bottles costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars, Beresford’s latest success is a reminder that world-class wine does not always come with a world-class price tag.
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