Research commissioned by ING reveals Australians are underestimating the potential costly pitfalls of relaxing retreats.

.Thrillseeking holiday activities have been bumped off Aussie bucket lists, as a new tribe of ‘chillseekers’ are taking travel time-out, according to the research.

Coinciding with the launch of ING’s Travel Insurance, the research reveals that “relaxation” is the number one factor for Aussies when deciding their next holiday, with more than three quarters (78%) preferring a ‘chilled’ holiday over a ‘thrilling’ getaway.

Australians have always been known for their adventurous spirits, but many are now opting for experiences that are “more relaxing” (62%), help them “digitally detoxify” (48%), and let them “invigorate their mind and body” (45%). For these chillseekers, almost a third (30%) believe they are safer on relaxing holidays.

The most popular holiday types favoured by Aussies are beach vacations (42%), family catch-ups (36%) and river or ocean cruises (28%).

But relaxing on a sun lounge doesn’t exempt you from mishaps, with three quarters (or 9.1 million) travellers having suffered some form of issue whilst on holiday. The most common travel mishaps are cancelled or delayed flights (48%), food poisoning/illness (32%) and being conned out of money (20%).

“Risky selfies” have been revealed to be a new potential danger, with one-fifth (18%) of travellers revealing they have taken risks to get the perfect holiday photo, such as ignoring warnings, standing on cliffs or posing with wild animals.

Over half (53%) of Australian travellers surveyed expressed that they have found themselves out of pocket after encountering a problem or accident while on a holiday.  Of those travellers, the average loss they estimated was $1,426.

Despite this, Aussies are still willing to risk a trip without insurance, with over two-thirds (69%) of those who have experienced a mishap saying they rarely or never take out travel insurance.

Reasons for dodging travel insurance include thinking it’s not necessary when travelling domestically (33%) and that not much can go wrong on a relaxing holiday (31%).

Cathy Duncan, ING Head of Wealth, said: “Aussies are leading busier lives than ever, so it’s no wonder people are using their holidays as a time to relax, unwind and disconnect.

“But unfortunately, the most common travel mishaps can happen no matter what type of vacation you choose – from lost luggage, to unexpected flight cancellations – meaning that to enjoy a relaxing holiday, it’s a good idea to get cover.”

ING research also revealed:

• Down time is a good time: The most important parts of a holiday for Aussies are experiencing culture including food & drink (43%), sitting back and relaxing (25%) and catching up with family (15%).
• The E-scape: 48% of Aussies want to have a digital detox and are choosing destinations that allow them to go off-grid.
• For the gram:2 million Aussies have taken risks to get the perfect selfie such as ignoring warnings, standing on cliffs or posing with wild animals. Millennials are the most likely (29%) to attempt these photos and men (25%) are far more likely to engage in a risky selfie than women (10%).
• Money well saved: Of the Aussies surveyed who had taken out travel insurance in the past and run into problems for which they made claims, they estimated they saved an average of $1,882.
• Easing into the holiday feeling: 83% of travellers surveyed said having travel insurance would make them feel more at ease on holiday.

To avoid unexpected costs when travelling, find out more about ING Travel Insurance at www.ing.com.au.

-ENDS-

For more information contact Deanna Rose: deanna.rose@ing.com.au or 0413 317 225

Notes to editors

This survey was commissioned by ING and conducted by YouGov Galaxy in July 2019. The sample comprises 1,001 Australians aged 18-69 years distributed throughout Australia.

About ING

ING changed the way Australians bank 20 years ago by launching the country’s first high interest, fee free online savings account. Since then, we’ve brought continued value to customers with home loans, transactional banking, superannuation and insurance.

ING manages $42 billion in savings and $45 billion in mortgages and is Australia’s most recommended bank with the highest Net Promoter Score of any Australian bank.

Australia’s most recommended bank.

Source: Nielsen Consumer & Media View Dec’18-May ‘19 (n=11465) when compared by customers of 18 other banks operating in Australia.

ING Travel Insurance is issued by Auto & General Insurance Company Ltd ABN 42 111 586 353 AFSL 285571 as insurer. It is distributed by Auto & General Services Pty Ltd ABN 61 003 617 909 AFSL 241411 (AGS) and by ING Bank (Australia) Ltd ABN 24 000 893 292 as Authorised Representative 1247634 of AGS.  ING is a business name of ING Bank (Australia) Ltd (ING). Any policy issued does not represent a deposit with or liability of, and is not guaranteed or otherwise supported by, ING or its related bodies corporate.  ING will receive a commission from AGS for each policy purchased which is a percentage of your premium. For further details see the Financial Services Guide.

Subject to AGS’ underwriting and ING’s Customer Eligibility and Name-Screening Assessment.

This is general information only, and does not take into account your particular objectives, financial situation or needs. You should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement, Financial Services Guide and the ING Customer Eligibility and Name-Screening document available at ing.com.au, and consider if an ING Insurance products is right for you before deciding to purchase or continue to hold this product.

The price we quote is at the insurer’s sole and unrestricted discretion. It is based on the profile of the risk to be covered and any other factors the insurer may choose. These factors may change at any time without notice, as may the prices. If the policy renews, the price may exceed the price paid for the previous policy. Base rate premiums are subject to change.  You will be responsible for all applicable GST and other statutory charges.