UPFRONT

Image: Tourism Tasmania

7. NATURE EXPERIENCES

After being cooped up inside during lockdown, fresh air and space to roam will be high on the agenda, with increased demand for outdoor adventures. “Travellers are looking for uncrowded and remote experiences that give them the chance to reconnect with nature and the natural world, at least partly in response to isolation and having been contained for so long,” Sue Badyari from World Expeditions says. “Active holidays are intrinsically safe because walkers or cyclists spend almost every waking moment outside, where it’s natural to practise physical distancing.” World Expeditions offers guided family walks in places such as Tasmania, including a three-day Cradle Mountain Family Adventure. In2thewild Tiny Holidays CEO Nic Chin says tiny houses also offer the A family hiking in Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain National Park

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perfect antidote. “Being restricted to our homes made people realise just how much they miss being in nature, and its power to relax and rejuvenate you,” he says. “We’ve seen a significant increase in interest in tiny house stays since the restrictions have lifted. Each tiny house has self-check in and gives guests the opportunity to take a breath of fresh air, let the kids run wild, and stare up at the sky. It’s exactly what we need after being cooped up inside.” StayWell Holdings global director of revenue generation Fiona Godfrey says there has also been strong demand for country retreats and places that are more isolated and considered ‘safer’. “Families are seeking out open spaces, lesser populated areas, and places they can travel by car that still offer great experiences for their children,”

she says. “The likes of the Hunter Valley and the Blue Mountains [in NSW] are examples of destinations that have a lot to offer, but feel less crowded than a city escape, even during peak periods.” 50 Degrees North and Nord Journeys CEO and founder Tietse Stelma agrees, noting travellers are veering towards remote stays and private cabins, which allow a greater degree of privacy and separation from others if needed. YHA Australia CEO Paul McGrath says it all depends on where you live. “Families in the cities are eager to get out of their suburbs and into nature, to escape their ‘iso’ bubbles,” he says. “On the other hand, families from regional areas may be keen to stay in the cities, to take advantage of museums, galleries, shops, cinemas and restaurants opening back up.”