There has been a huge spike in online purchases focused on adventure holidays as border closures and restrictions prevent Australians from spending on more extravagant travel adventures or overseas holidays, new research from online marketplace, Payday Deals has shown.
Payday Deals saw the purchase of camping and outdoor goods increase 49% in July and August compared to last quarter.
“Instead of going interstate or overseas, it’s clear people have decided to holiday intrastate. With the borders closed, and continued uncertainty over travel arrangements, our data shows that there’s a conscious effort to stay local and holiday within our own regions, which is great to see,” Payday Deals CEO Rojie Tadros said.
The online retailer has seen high demand for adventure and outdoor entertainment goods in the states hit worst by the pandemic over the last few months.
“Over July and August, we have seen a significant spike in orders for camping gear such as tents and sleeping bags, as well as outdoor living and entertaining items such as outdoor dining sets and lounges,” Tadros said.
“Leading the demand for these items is Victoria, making up 30% of all orders on the mentioned categories, followed by New South Wales at 29.1% of orders, and 23% by Queenslanders.
“In comparison, Western Australians only made up 6.6% of the orders, while South Australians placed 5.8%, Tasmania at 3%, the Australian Capital Territory at 1.6%, and finally the Northern Territory at a tiny 0.2%. It seems residents in these states, which have seen restrictions relax significantly since July, don’t have the same need to buy this kind of gear as they have more opportunity to travel intrastate and enjoy larger entertaining venues within their own borders.”
In addition to adventure items, Payday Deals has experienced high demand for household furniture, home decor, garden, and pet items in its latest month of sales, a trend which continued from earlier in the year throughout lockdown.