Australian and New Zealanders are staging a mass winter walk-out, with new research showing over half (58%) intend to holiday overseas between June and September 2025.[1] The timing couldn’t be better for airlines, with international capacity from Australia already reaching 7.1 million departure seats in Q1 2025, up 6.1 per cent on last year and now nudging past pre-pandemic levels.[2]
Passengers are acting on that extra lift. Short-term resident departures reached 872,650 in March 2025, about seven per cent more than the same month in pre-COVID 2019, confirming that Australians are streaming overseas well before winter even begins.
The research comes from the 2025 Europ Assistance Holiday Barometer, a global survey of 21,000 respondents across 21 countries, commissioned by leading global assistance provider Europ Assistance, the parent company of award-winning Australian travel insurance provider Insure&Go.
What sets this exodus apart is its conscience. The Barometer reveals Australian and New Zealanders are willing to adopt sustainable travel practices. An impressive 87 per cent plan to support local businesses during their travels. Eight in ten will actively avoid waste (80%), while nearly three-quarters are willing to travel off-peak to reduce crowding (74%). Travellers are also more likely to use public transport on-site (73%), switch to lower-carbon transport options (67%) and choose green-certified accommodation (65%).
Destinations across Asia, Europe and the Americas are aiming to attract the eco-aware traveller. Tourism boards from Japan[3] to Spain[4] are sharpening their marketing around sustainability, while closer to home, countries like Singapore are ramping up promotion of their green credentials[5].
The Barometer revealed the top three incentives that may further sway Australasian travellers to go green: 52 per cent list financial benefits from the government to help cover costs as the top factor, 49 per cent cite access to exclusive deals or experiences with sustainable brands and an equal 49 per cent want points or rewards for sustainable travel choices.
“From Hanoi’s electric-bus network to Singapore, the first country certified as a sustainable destination and Milan’s plastic-free boutique hotels, Australians are actively hunting for greener itineraries,” says David Mayo, Commercial & Marketing Director at Insure&Go. “Brands that treat sustainability as window-dressing may find themselves overlooked.”
[1] https://www.insureandgo.com.au/sites/default/files/2025-07/Europ-Assistance-Holiday-Barometer-2025.pdf
[2] https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/numbers-australia-q1-2025
[3] https://www.japan.travel/en/sustainable/
[4] https://turismo.gob.es/en-us/estrategia-turismo-sostenible/Paginas/Index.aspx
[5] https://www.stb.gov.sg/about-stb/media-publications/media-centre/singapore-achieves-global-destination-sustainability-certification
Insure&Go’s checklist for smarter, greener travel:
- Book certified low-impact providers and seek out hotels, tours and airlines that carry recognised eco labels or GSTC accreditation.
- Pack light as less weight equals lower emissions and fewer excess-baggage fees.
- Offset what you can’t avoid by using reputable carbon-offset schemes to balance out unavoidable flight emissions.
- Protect the trip and lock in travel insurance cover so a mishap doesn’t undo all that smart planning.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Ewenson | 0409 079 559 | sewenson@theideassuite.com.au
About InsureandGo
InsureandGo (InsureandGo.com.au) is one of Australia’s award-winning online travel insurance specialists. Since it was established in Australia in 2012, InsureandGo has covered more than 2 million Australian travellers. Owned by Europ Assistance, which operates in more than 200 countries, InsureandGo has an expansive, 24/7 global assistance network. InsureandGo Australia has won numerous awards and recommendations for its services including the 2024 Canstar Award for Outstanding Value in ‘Outstanding Value – International Travel Insurance’ for the second consecutive year and ‘Outstanding Value – Seniors Travel Insurance’ for the third consecutive year, the 2024 WeMoney Award for ‘Best for Seniors Travel Insurance’ for the second consecutive year, the 2023 Finder Award for Travel Insurance – Domestic, and the 2023 WeMoney Award for ‘Best for Value – Cruise Travel Insurance’. More information about InsureandGo’s awards can be found here: https://www.insureandgo.com.au/travel-insurance-awards/.
This insurance is underwritten by Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company Limited (MSI), ABN 49 000 525 637, AFSL 240816. Europ Assistance Australia Pty Ltd, ACN 140 219 594, AFSL 552106, trading as InsureandGo and other brands, holds a binding authority from the insurer, MSI to issue contracts of insurance and to deal with or settle claims on MSI’s behalf and as MSI’s agent. Any advice is general advice only and does not take account of your particular circumstances. Before purchasing, decide whether this product is right for you. Consider the PDS and TMD at www.insureandgo.com.au/policy-wordings.