The accommodation industry is expecting an increase in travel activity during Spring and a peak bodies is encouraging customers to book rooms early to take advantage of better deals and other priority booking privileges.
The Accommodation Association of Australia says strong forward bookings are giving the industry an injection of confidence.
“We are seeing the emergence of a booking trend where bookings are being made closer to the date to seemingly take advantage of last-minute rates,” said the Association’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Munro.
“In most cases, there are actually greater savings to be made by booking in advance. This is when the majority of special discounts, packages and bonus deals are available to consumers.
“It is an exciting time in the tourism industry where operators are again starting to tailor their service offerings to encourage visitors to make the most of warmer weather and school holidays.
“It is better to book at the beginning of the season. This not only offers greater chances in availability but in many cases, it also means that consumers get the most value for money,” Munro said.