This summer's top travel trends

With social distancing very much a thing last summer, the idea of getting off the beaten track and following your nose became one of the most popular travel trends. The same is true this silly season, but just because you’re unplugging from the urban hustle doesn’t mean you need to slum it with no creature comforts. Welcome to glampervanning. Instagram and Pinterest are chock full of a campervan renos that take some tired old heap from grotty to gorgeous, and the for-hire market has taken notice. Most campervan hire companies – such as camplify, campchamp and camptoo – offer luxury motorhome rentals with mod-cons like showers, double beds, plush kitchens and air-con – an essential if you hear the rusty sands of the far Western NSW outback calling.

Last summer, everyone and their dog went on holiday to Byron Bay. Seriously. Everyone. And it makes sense for sure – it’s a stunning corner of the state filled with beach baes and bougie-boho vibes. However, this year, those still holidaying in the state (free movement into Queensland, Victoria, Northern Territory and South Australia is on the horizon in the next couple of months, so many will be exploring elsewhere) should head to lesser-known destinations. This is a huge state that has a planet’s worth of climates and ecologies to discover, from deserts to rain forests, tablelands to mountain ranges. Give the getaway greatest hits a miss and check out these underrated holiday haunts instead.

The climate crisis is real. There’s no other way to say it. And while going away on holiday should be about de-stressing and unplugging from everyday anxieties, there are some issues that we just can’t turn a blind eye to. However, there is a way to combine climate responsibility with your next holiday. Ecotourism is one of the most ascendant parts of the travel sector, with more and more operators catering to a market that cares about reducing their impact on the planet. EcotourismAustralia is a great resource for discovering many green holiday and day trip options, and they also ratify the eco-credentials of the experiences it recommends so you can avoid any green-washing cons.

Boat hire is nothing new, but its popularity skyrocketed last summer as boats were some of the first private hire spaces where people could host gatherings during NSW's tentative exit from its first lockdown. And as with many things we've relied on over the past two years – QR codes; table service ordering buttons; working from home – some of the results of our pandemic problem solving have become welcome additions to our return to normality. Boat hire services like Floatspace connect you with independent boats for hire to suit a huge range of budgets, from small berths for a leisurely arvo on the water to massive party boats and luxury yachts. They can even arrange special charters for longer adventures. 

While there are some definite perks to great pivot to WFH, not everyone’s living situation will have made the experience of doing their 9-to-5 from their 'home office' (read: bedroom/dining room/cupboard under the stairs) all that productive or comfortable. But if there are any silver linings to the shuttering of offices, it’s that working remotely is now second nature for many of us. So, why not combine a getaway with your workday? 'Workations' are a great way to switch up your scenery without having to take annual leave. Work your normal hours from a plush hotel or resort and enjoy the facilities and dining options during your downtime. It’s a win-win for both your employer and your sanity.

From November 1, fully vaccinated Australian citizens, residents and their immediate families are free to move in and out of Australia, and in NSW and Victoria, they can do so without being required to quarantine on their return. The world is wide once again, and after 20 months remaining girt by sea, many an Aussie is hearing their wanderlust calling. Not to mention that hundreds of thousands of immigrants who call Australia home will be returning to their motherlands to visit their nearest and dearest after a very long wait. But long haul at the best of times is a miserable punish, so having to do so with a mask in cramped quarters is sure to be especially horrid. And since not all the available routes that ran pre-pandemic have yet been reinstated, many multi-stop journeys can have lengthy layovers currently. However, this can be a blessing in disguise. By deliberately arranging an 18-24 hour layover, you can check into an airport hotel and decompress from the misery of masked flight. Or even factor in several days at your waypoint, and take in even more of the world, now that we finally can.