Travel Tales: 'The newest trend is predicted to be the splurgecation or blowout break...'

The travel industry loves buzzwords and we have all gotten used to new ones in recent years including staycation, WFH (work from holiday) or bleisure and glamping.

As the last of the pandemic restrictions are finally lifted the newest trend is predicted to be the splurgecation or blowout break.

There is a desire to make up for lost travel time and some people have extra pandemic savings that they intend to spend on that once in a lifetime bucket list holiday. Top of the list will surely be Australia.

After nearly two years, most of Australia reopened its borders to fully vaccinated international visitors last week.

It was March 2020 when the country first imposed some of the world’s strictest travel restrictions due to Covid-19.

Western Australian follows the rest of the country this week when the state opens their borders on March 3 after undertaking an even stricter Covid-zero policy with just 10 reported deaths due to Covid since the pandemic began.

The entire state of Western Australia — a third of Australia’s vast land mass, but home to just 10 per cent of the population — has essentially been closed to both international travellers and even vaccinated Australian citizens for most of the pandemic.

There is much relief from the Australian tourism industry which lost €81 billion during the lockdown. People in Australia have always felt separated from the world and there is a fear now that is “out sight out of mind” from tourists in the northern hemisphere.

Tourism was one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia’s economy before the pandemic, contributing €29 billion in 2019,

Therefore the Australian Government plans a big marketing campaign to tell the world they are welcome back.

Australia wants to dispel the perception of a strict rule-based and uninviting country after stories like the Nova Djokovic case.

Australia is beloved by travellers for its stunning and varied landscapes and easy going inviting attitude and the Government is keen to get that message out again.

“The wait is over,” the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison proclaimed during a press conference ahead of the reopening.

“The tourists are coming back and my message to them is, to tourists all around the world, pack your bags, come and have one of the greatest experiences you could ever imagine – the experience you’ve been waiting for.”

China overtook New Zealand as Australia’s largest foreign tourist market for the first time in 2017 with 1.3 million visitors from mainland China and accounted for 27 per cent international visitor spend in 2019.

With China still severely limiting outbound travel, that leaves a gaping hole in Australia’s tourism economy.

Australia is among the world’s most immunized countries for Covid-19, with 94 per cent of people over 16 fully vaccinated.

The country is just coming out of its summer now so people planning to go to this country should probably aim for the end of the year when they have their summer.

Australia really does live up to its billing as a bucket list destination.

The country really does have everything from deserts to tropical forests, road trips and beaches to wildlife that look like they were drawn by a kid after too many soft drinks.

The cities all have their own personality and are often great jump off points to see truly world class scenery like the Great Ocean Road outside Melbourne or the Margaret River wine region outside Perth or the Clare Valley wine region outside Adelaide.

But the real star is Sydney which must be a contender for the most impressive capital city in the world. When you are on the public ferry from Manly beach back to the main harbour terminal you have a genuinely mouth opening awe inspiring view of the Opera House on your right and the harbour bridge to your left and the skyscrapers on the city in front of you.

What really makes Sydney so special though is all the beach towns like Bondi and Coogee dotted up and down the coast.

This is the Australian image we grew up with from Neighbours with the lifeguard huts and surfers and beach barbies.

I think the quintessential Australia is not in the cities but in the outback of the centre and the northern territories and the tropical rainforests of Queensland.

Australia is huge so if you don’t have months to travel and have to pick and choose, I would recommend these two states.

The good news is our summer is also the best time to visit as they are cooler, less humid and dryer. It is possible to get direct flights from Europe to Cairns in Queenslands.

Cairns is a great base to visit the Great Barrier Reef where you can visit for a few days on a boat and this is a great place to get your Padi diving licence which I did many years ago.

It is possible to get internal flight deals with Quantas and I’d recommend a flight to Uluru where you really get the sense of the vastness of the Australian outback surrounded by open flat red soiled plains with only just the majestic, mystical Uluru looking over everything.

It is one of my favourite travel memories watching the effect of the sunlight on Uluru.

As the day progresses the rock changes colour from deep purples to black to deep fiery red depending on the time of day and cloud cover.

A road trip is the best way to get a sense of the country and a great one is from Uluru to Darwin in the top of the Northern territories.

You spend days passing just kangaroos and camels along open desert plains with just the road stretching out in front and you just hope you make the next distant town with a petrol station.

It feels like a real adventure.

But if you are planning to hire a car then make sure to book early because the combination of selling off hire car fleets and then being unable to replenish them due to the global chip shortage has left rental car providers with low stocks and spiralling rates.

My podcast recommendation this week is Irish and Lions rugby legend Paul Wallace who talks about his travels during his rugby career including Australia.