Australians have shown a keen interest in touring their own backyard, with NRMA travel's top three viewed pages for 2016 showing Australian cruises, holidays and driving tours were at the top of mind for holiday-makers for the year.
Analysis of NRMA Travel data found the number one cruise destination for NRMA Travel customers in Australia was the Murray River Cruise in South Australia.
The top researched travel topics, based on NRMA travel website visits for 2016 were:
- Cruising in or around Australia
- Holidays in Australia
- Driving the Great Ocean Road
- Touring across the Nullabor
- Australian Rail Tour
NRMA Executive General Manager of Travel & Touring, Paul Davies, said the data reflected encouraging results for domestic tourism operators and the national economy.
"Australians are so lucky to have the best travel destinations within their own backyard and this data shows they are embracing that," Mr Davies said.
"Getting your boots dusty on a cattle farm, exploring exotic underwater wonderlands on the Great Barrier Reef, touring our world-class wine regions or simply getting away for a weekend drive, it's all accessible and it's also all very popular for very good reason.
"Growing domestic tourism and connecting regional communities are priorities for the NRMA and that's why we wholeheartedly support Members looking to find local holidays."
Tourism Research Australia Data showed tourism contributed $115.5 billion in expenditure last year, an increase of eight per cent on the year before.
Overnight stays at caravan parks or camping grounds in NSW increased by more than 16 per cent in the past year.
"We know the great Australian road trip is regaining popularity for so many reasons and three of our top five most popular researched topics clearly reflect that," Mr Davies said.
"Caravan and camping experiences are rapidly gaining popularity as accessible and fun holidays for Australians enjoying retirement as well as young families looking for explore their own backyards.
"The NRMA is committed to helping Australians embrace road trips, that's why we are invested in Holiday Parks, Travelodge Hotels, as well as our NRMA travel services to help tick all the local touring boxes."
