Australia short holidays in 2021: Mental health now a major motivator for a break

Australians have increased the amount of short breaks they take since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, citing mental health and the need for a change of scenery as their main motivators for holidaying.

New independent research, commissioned by Choice Hotels, shows one in four Australians plan to take four or more short breaks in 2021, and at least 64 per cent cite improving their mental health as a key reason.

Travelling for a mental health break is even more popular in the once COVID-19 ravaged Victoria, where 80 per cent of respondents cited this as a reason why they planned a holiday.

By comparison, the research found New Zealanders' key reason for short trips was to reconnect with friends and family, rather than mental health.

Under 30s planned the most trips, with an average of 3.13 per year, followed by the over-60s with 1.73 trips annually. Seventy-one per cent of people are opting for intra-state travel and destinations that take less than four hours to get to.

Psychology professor at the University of Melbourne Nick Haslam says there is evidence that travelling for a holiday can have genuine, documented benefits on mental health in the sense it can help reduce stress, burnout and emotional distress, but there are caveats.

He says any mental health benefits from travel tend to be limited to the two weeks after the holiday, and it's difficult to tell whether these stem from the travelling itself or from the break away from work. "There's no evidence that travel has lasting effects on mental health disorders, as distinct from transient effects on specific symptoms," Professor Haslam said.

Regardless of whether holidays actually improve mental health, the executive general manager at Tourism Australia, Bede Fennell, says the correlation between holidays and respite has been amplified due to the blending of home and work. "Working from home has created a need to always be on, meaning taking that break is now more important than ever," he said.

The Choice Hotels data showed Australia's enthusiasm for holidaying has returned. However, while 62 per cent of people feel confident enough to book a trip within their own state, only 19 per cent feel confident enough to book an interstate break after 80 per cent of Australians and New Zealanders saw their travel plans cancelled in 2020.