Inside Nine's Travel Trends Index: Empowering brands with data-driven insights
In the ever-evolving landscape of travel, understanding the preferences and behaviours of Australian travellers is crucial for delivering content that resonates far and wide. To get to the heart of these insights, Nine recently launched the Aussie Travel Trends Index – a survey meticulously crafted to explore the travel habits and aspirations of Australians.
9Travel Editor, Kristine Tarbert, gives us an in-depth look at how this survey was conducted, the key findings, plus what it means for content creators and marketers alike.
The method behind the insights
The Aussie Travel Trends Index stems from a robust survey conducted across Nine's diverse audience - spanning TV, digital, print, and radio platforms. Highlighting the breadth of respondents and with a focus on understanding the heartbeat of Australian travel, Kristine explains:
“With over 1,100 respondents, the survey was carefully weighted to ensure a nationally representative sample of Australians aged 18 and over. We asked a range of questions - everything from spending habits, to favourite travel spots and beaches as well as honeymoon and camping destinations.
The goal was twofold: firstly, to ensure our content aligns with the top interests of our readers, and secondly, to equip our commercial team with data-driven insights to facilitate more informed conversations with our partners. By understanding what excites our audience, we can better serve both their needs and the interests of our advertisers.”
Shaping content with purpose: How insights drive cross-platform synergy
The ability to craft content that resonates on a broad scale, while still being finely tuned to specific audience segments, is a testament to Nine’s cross-platform capabilities. This is especially crucial in today’s media landscape, where delivering tailored content that truly resonates with audiences is key to maintaining high engagement.
“The survey insights are instrumental in shaping the content across Nine's platforms, particularly for 9Travel and the Today Show. By identifying the destinations and types of holidays our audiences are interested in, we can tailor our content to provide them with the inspiration and information they most need and want.
Whether a detailed guide to a trending destination or tips for planning a perfect camping trip, our content is perfectly aligned with our audience's travel plans.”
Diverse audiences, unique preferences
The results showcased a clear appetite for travel in Australia, with Eastern Seaboard locations amongst the most popular, and Tasmania a surprise winner across various categories. Delving into the differences between the 9Travel and Today Show audiences, Kristine revealed some fascinating distinctions.
“While there are similarities, each audience has its own unique appetite for travel. 9Travel visitors, for example, showed a greater interest in camping and are willing to spend a bit more on their adventures. Meanwhile, Today Show viewers show a stronger preference for classic destinations like the Gold Coast, especially those under 45.
Internationally, the USA, Hawaii, and Fiji were popular choices for Today Show viewers, while Europe remained the top choice overall for Nine’s audience.”
The most significant takeaway
In a challenging economic climate, one thing remains clear: Australians passion for travel is unwavering.
“Despite the current cost of living pressures, travel remains front of mind, and in fact a priority for many. The growth we’ve seen in 9Travel’s audience since we launched in February, having hit over 1 million users in June, is a testament to this. Our ability to stay on top of trends, and truly understand what our readers are interested in is second to none.”
Leveraging the Travel Trends Index for campaign success
For brands looking to connect more deeply with their target audience, the insights from the Travel Trends Index are a goldmine. Whilst informing Nine’s content strategy across platforms like 9Travel and the Today Show, we can also equip brands with the knowledge needed to craft effective campaigns that truly align with the current travel landscape. Whether it’s tapping into growing interest in domestic travel or aligning with the top international destinations, these insights empower brands to make more informed decisions.
Source: Ipsos iris Online Audience Measurement Service July 2024, Age 14+, PC/laptop/smartphone/tablet, Text only, Brand Group, Travel (News Only) Tier 2 Category, Audience (000s), Avg Mins PP, Page Views (000s).
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