Hiking and skiing unveiled as among favourite Australian sporting holidays

February 18, 2025

A new survey conducted by Budget Direct Travel Insurance reveals that more than a third of Australians have gone on a sporting or adventure holiday in the past year and age doesn't seem to limit desire with close to 20% aged between 68 and 77-years-old.

80% of respondents indicated they have holidayed to either hike, fish, or ski.

Sporting-led holidays located within Australia are also the preferred, as the 2024 survey data shows 64% of Australians booked their holiday domestically, with the next popular choice being our neighbours, New Zealand.

When discussing key motivators for going on a sporting-led holiday, 55% of respondents said they wanted to indulge their passions, while 44% wanted to challenge their skills.

"Australians are born adventurers, and there's no better way to embrace that spirit than with an active holiday in our own backyard," noted a Budget Direct spokesperson.

"Whether it's hiking through stunning national parks, fishing along pristine coastlines, or exploring the incredible ski fields down south, Aussies love combining their passions with the chance to discover the diverse landscapes Australia has to offer."

A sporting-led holiday calls for no rest, with half of those surveyed saying they were comfortable with a physically challenging holiday. Only 7% were comfortable with a physically 'tough' holiday, with 42% admitting a mildly physically challenging holiday was ideal.

As for who we holiday with, most travelled with family on their sporting-led holiday (46%), with almost a quarter going with fellow sport/training friends.

Travelling alone was more popular than travelling with strangers, with 15% holidaying by themselves compared to 11% with a tour guide.

When it came to what factors are most important when choosing an adventure-led holiday, Queenslanders valued the location the most (80% of respondents) whereas Victorians were the most cost-effective, coming in first for cost being the most important factor when choosing a sporting-led holiday (75%).

While mostly taking local sport-led holidays, Australians are still keen to book their next, with 41% of respondents planning their next adventure holiday within the year, and 32% in the next two years.

Almost 70% had booked their holiday either in advance completely, or at least 75% of the trip. Western Australian respondents were the most prepared for their sporting-led holiday, with 47% planning the trip completely in advance.

Victorians were the least prepared with 5% preplanning none of their trip before jetting off for their adventure holiday.

Access Budget Direct Travel Insurance full survey data

Images. Credit: Falls Creek

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