The world is changing and so are our travel plans
April 2, 2026
When Travel Plans Hit the Brakes: What’s Happening Across WA This Easter
Ahead of the long weekend and school holidays, we surveyed 907 West Aussies to understand how current conditions are shaping travel plans and the results paint a pretty clear picture.
While 38% of West Australians had intended to take a leisure trip over the Easter / April school holiday period, more than half of them have had to change those plans. That equates to around 1 in 5 people (21%) whose travel plans have already been disrupted.
And this isn’t just about overseas holidays or interstate getaways: the impact is hitting closest to home.
Local travel feeling the biggest impact
Of those who had planned a trip, the vast majority (78%) were planning to travel within WA. But these are also the plans most likely to be scrapped, with nearly 6 in 10 (59%) cancelling their trip altogether rather than rescheduling or adjusting.
Only a small proportion are adapting, whether that’s shortening trips, changing destinations, or pushing plans out to a later date.
The real driver? Cost pressure
Unsurprisingly, rising fuel prices are the dominant factor – 81% of those who changed their plans. For a state as vast and road-trip reliant as WA, the cost of getting from A to B is proving to be a major barrier.
But it’s not just about dollars.
There’s a broader sense of uncertainty influencing decisions, with concerns about delays or being stranded (30%), recent weather events like Cyclone Narelle (27%), and general stress (25%) all contributing to cancelled or reconsidered travel.
A shift in mindset, not just behaviour
What stands out isn’t just the change in plans, it’s the mindset behind it. Travel, even within our own backyard, is starting to feel more complicated, more uncertain, and in some cases, simply not worth the hassle.
For businesses operating in tourism and hospitality, this is a clear signal: it’s not enough to just be appealing, you also need to feel accessible, easy, and low-risk.
Because right now, for many West Aussies, staying home is winning.
And honestly… we’re just glad the Easter Bunny doesn’t need to fill up the tank.
