As the largest cohort of international tourists, Australians are the quickest to book a trip and hop the Ditch for a holiday in New Zealand - but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any regrets.

Tourism New Zealand recently revealed the biggest post-holiday regrets expressed by Aussies departing the country… beyond, you know, departing the country.

The number one regret expressed by over two fifths of holidaymakers was failure to plan their itinerary adequately (44 per cent) followed by failing to ask for help planning.

Despite being a good 20 times smaller, 35 per cent of Australians admitted they were baffled by the Geography, with most saying they didn’t know where to start a trip.

On the converse of those whose planning lacked proper thought, others said their trip was too rigid.

24 per cent of Australians surveyed said they regretted lack of spontaneity, saying that the stress of travel meant they were missing out on time exploring.

There appears to be a Goldilocks area for the argument of too little vs too much planning.

Not all the regrets can be blamed on tourists’ failure to research their travel.

A fifth of those visiting Aotearoa or other overseas destinations said they failed to have an “authentic” experience while abroad.

Further market research for TNZ showed it was hard to move away from the perception that “New Zealanders are just like us” and that Māori culture and experiences were under-represented as a point of difference. Although Australians surveyed said the lack of long flights and car journeys were welcome.

A spokesperson for Tourism New Zealand said that the survey was commissioned as part of market research into consumer intentions post Covid-19, running online between 10 to 13 March 2023.

The survey which was conducted by Pureprofile on behalf of TNZ targeted Australians who had travelled overseas since the pandemic and while the data was not exclusive to those visiting New Zealand, they were keen to find the regrets tourists would rather avoid.

“The sample comprised a nationally representative sample of 1,005 Australians aged 18+ who have travelled abroad/outside Australia in the past 3 years. The data is weighted by age, gender, and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates.”

Sunrise at Maunga Hikurangi in Tairawhiti Gisborne: TNZ identified the lack of Māori tourism and points of difference as a weakness with their appeal for Australian tourists. Photo / Strike Photography

TNZ’s Tourism deep dive

The survey was part of ongoing market research commissioned by Tourism New Zealand.

In a separate “deep dive” into the Australian Market by consulting company One Picture, visitors took part in qualitative one hour interviews on their recent trips to New Zealand.

Perceptions of Aotearoa being an easy holiday destination, “just over the ditch” and relatively “risk free”, travellers complained that there was not enough done to highlight cultural differences and showcasing Maori culture. This was highlighted as a weakness of the Kiwi proposition, with New Zealand having to work harder to show where it differs from Australia.

Despite what TNZ described as geopolitical tensions and cost of living pressures the national tourism body said that New Zealand remained an attractive prospect for overseas visitors.

TNZ chief executive René de Monchy defented the survey as valuable for tourism operators to help them understand the needs and desires of their customers.

“Competition is fierce and New Zealand will need to work hard for visitors,” said de Monchy.

Announcing the findings in May, TNZ said the survey was part of research into “high-quality visitors” from 10 key international markets, including Australia, considering New Zealand as a travel destination.