More than a third of New Zealanders say they're likely to travel internationally in the next 12 months so long as they don't have to quarantine for two weeks upon their return, according to survey results released by TransferWise.
It's just one of many indicators that Kiwis are getting itchy feet and are yearning for some overseas travel.
Some are more keen than others, with 10 percent saying they'd travel regardless of self-isolation requirements.
More than a quarter of those questioned think a travel bubble should be extended to all countries that are consistently reporting zero cases of COVID-19.
A further 16 percent think we should even open the bubble to all countries with controlled community transmission.
COVID-19 forced the cancelation of millions of dollars' worth of travel bookings. Nearly half of the survey participants had to cancel travel plans due to the pandemic and just 10 percent of those plan to rebook the same holiday.
Nearly 40 percent said they will be reducing their travel spending, with 10 percent planning to reduce it by at least half.
Where do we want to go?
- Australia and the Pacific Islands - 55.8 percent
- Asia - 32.4 percent
- Europe - 28.8 percent
- North America - 18.3 percent
The manager of global technology company TransferWise, which develops ways for money to be transferred between countries, says Kiwis need to be more aware of how much the act of spending is actually costing them while travelling.
"What we found particularly worrying is that 55 percent of Kiwis don't fully understand what fees and charges are involved when it comes to getting travel money," TransferWise country manager Tim Cameron told The AM Show.
"Consequently, our data shows that almost 60 percent of New Zealanders use their regular bank credit or debit card when travelling, because it's the most convenient method for them. However, this convenience coupled with a lack of understanding on the true cost associated with using bank cards abroad is costing Kiwis dearly."
