2024 Australian road trip and travel trends and statistics

posted on 17 November 2023

Welcome to Turo’s Summer Road Trip 2024 Report, a download on the latest trends shaping Australia’s car sharing industry and travellers’ road trip behaviour.

Download Turo’s Summer Road Trip 2024 Report here

The report blends our own booking and searching data with a consumer behaviour study prepared for Turo, the Road Trip Study Report conducted by YouGov* in September 2023, to reveal how, where and why people will travel on the road this coming summer.

Turo is the world’s largest car sharing marketplace where guests can book any car they want, wherever they want it, from a vibrant community of trusted hosts.

Turo offers an extraordinary selection of vehicles from over 1,500 makes and models, including luxury rides from Tesla, Porsche and Range Rover, to popular cars from Toyota, Volkswagen and Hyundai.

Despite cost of living pressures on the rise, Aussies can now enjoy elevated drive and travel experiences without compromising on quality, value and convenience.

Inspired to plan a road trip of your own? Discover what Australia has to offer and find your drive on Turo.

Download Turo’s Summer Road Trip 2024 Report here

*Our methodology:
– This study was conducted online between 1 and 4 September 2023.
– The sample comprised of a nationally representative sample of 1,008 Australians aged 21 years old and above who have ever gone on a driving holiday/road trip.

Average domestic trip drive time

Aussies spent on average two and a half days in a road vehicle during a domestic trip – proof that when it comes to rental cars, it’s more important than ever to ensure there’s space and comfort.

Of Aussies surveyed:

Three quarters (75%) have travelled domestically for a holiday/leisure in the past 12 months.
On average, Aussies who have travelled domestically for a holiday/leisure in the past 12 months did so 2.2x in the year.
On average, each domestic trip taken in the past 12 months was for 4.67 days.
On average, around a quarter (25.67%) of the duration of each domestic trip taken in the past 12 months was spent in a road vehicle.
Aussies who have travelled domestically in the past 12 months spent on average 2.64 days in a road vehicle.

The most important features for a road trip:

Surveyed Aussies say plenty of space for bags/luggage (59%), and plenty of legroom (53%) are the top two most important car features for a road trip, followed by built-in GPS for easier navigation (41%) and in-car technology for a more enjoyable drive (39%).

Car sharing use cases

Car owners want to elevate their road trip by booking a different vehicle for their holiday.

Almost one in four (23%) Aussies surveyed don’t want to use their own car for road trips while one in five (19%) want to splurge on something different.

Millennials are the most likely to book a different car for their driving holiday, due to the following reasons:

31% want to test out a different car
23% don’t feel their car is big enough
20% want to treat themselves
16% want to go off roading
9% simply don’t maintain their car well enough

Why Aussies are going on road trips

Despite rising cost of living and travel costs, Aussies are opting to splurge on the little luxuries this summer with more luxury and bigger cars.

Turo has seen a huge increase in search interest* over September and October 2023 in the following vehicles:

5x more interest in people movers and SUVs like Honda Odyssey, Audi Q2 and Jeep Wrangler
2.5x more interest in luxurious cars like Porsche 718 and BMW 5 Series.

With over 1,500 makes and models, Turo offers Aussies a greater choice of cars, suitable for any occasion or budget.

Aussies are making the most of their driving holiday for new experiences.

54% of Aussies surveyed go on a driving holiday/road trip to have new and unique experiences, have an adventure/try something different.
44% of Aussies surveyed go on a driving holiday/road trip to relax and unwind.
38% of Aussies surveyed go on a driving holiday/road trip to explore nature’s wonders and places along the way

Investing in local communities rather than international airliners

“Despite mounting cost-of-living pressures, many Australians are finding respite in travelling after a tough economic year. However, with high airfares predicted throughout the summer, many are looking at holidays closer to home instead of travelling further afield. The uptake of people using Turo to enhance their experience with a unique vehicle has been immense, and growth in demand leads to greater income opportunities for hosts, so travellers can feel good about their investment into the community,” says Tim Rossanis, Managing Director of Turo Australia.

Hosts who list their vehicles on car sharing platforms may offer local restaurant recommendations and must-see destinations to their guests, adding an extraordinary personal touch that is distinct from other commoditized transportation options. This is perfect for the 54% of Aussies who will embark on a driving holiday to experience a new or a unique adventure and 38% who want to explore nature’s wonders and places along the way this summer.

Popular road trip destinations

Local destinations like Byron Bay, Hobart and Brisbane are anticipated to experience a busy summer.

According to Turo*, local destinations like Byron Bay are anticipated to experience a busy summer, with a 51% increase in the number of Aussies looking for vehicles to book on Turo in that area this coming summer compared to last winter, followed by Hobart (+35%) and Brisbane (+19%).

The most popular type of road trips in Australia

This summer, Aussies are beating the heat by going coastal.

78% of surveyed Aussies’ most favourite type of road trip is a coastal drive, with nearly four in five nominating this as one of their three most favourite types of road trip.

This is followed by:

A drive in the national park/in the bush (54%)
Outback driving (34%)
Long stretches of road/highway (33%)
Steep and winding road in the mountains (25%)
City driving (14%).

*These findings are based on the share of search sessions on Turo’s platform (searches performed in March and April 2023 for May to August 2023 travel, versus searches performed in September and October 2023 for November 2023 to March 2024 travel).

Cost of renting a car during peak travel seasons remains top of mind

46%: Nearly half of Aussies surveyed have hired/rented a car for a driving holiday/road trip.
1/3+: Over a third (39%) of Aussies surveyed dislike the high cost of renting a car, particularly during peak travel seasons, or the add-on/hidden costs (38%)

The top 10 things Aussies hate most about renting a car include:

1	High cost during peak travel season (39%)
2	The add-on/hidden costs (38%)
3	The stress of taking care of the car (30%)
4	The paperwork required (22%)
5	Inconvenient pick-up/drop-off locations (22%)
6	Dislike the pick-up/drop-off process (17%)
7	Not getting the exact vehicle they booked (14%)
8	Unhelpful or unwelcoming service staff (14%)
9	Having to wait in line (13%)
10	Not being able to select the exact vehicle they wanted (13%)

“Our research shows that 38% of Australians are unhappy with hidden costs that come with peak travel season. It’s important to know all of the costs that are associated with a booking, something many of the traditional incumbents can make hard. Travellers looking to make their dollar go further should book early, looking out for long rental discounts, and remember travel bookings around big sale periods like Black Friday,” says Tim Rossanis, Managing Director of Turo Australia.

Going green this summer

Aussies are exploring a more diverse range of green vehicle options for their summer holiday.

One in five (20%) Aussies surveyed say they’d be interested in taking an EV for a driving holiday/road trip.

A closer look:

Electric vehicles made up 8% of Turo’s active listings**
Vehicles fuelled by alternative energy sources accounted for 14% of Turo’s overall gross booking value in 2022.
Turo has seen 10x more interest* in more diverse range of green vehicle options like: Jaguar I-PACE and Kia EV6, as well as 3x interest in more affordable options like Nissan Leaf

However, the lack of charging options remains the main roadblock for many

80% of Aussies surveyed shared that their most common concerns about taking an EV for a road trip are lack of charging stations/charging options
Followed by the fear around range anxiety (74%).

Download the full Turo Summer Road Trip 2024 Report here