Research reveals tumultuous times for the international travel industry may offer a beacon of hope for Australia’s beleaguered bushfire affected communities, with domestic regional travel a top choice when Aussies can travel again. According to data from a new report by MyTravelResearch.com and research platform, Glow, more than half (53%) of Australians’ future travel plans were influenced by the bushfire recovery initiatives, proving recent initiatives were succeeding prior to the current coronavirus pandemic.

Luxury travel operator Abercrombie & Kent has come off its strongest ever calendar year in 2019 in the Australian market, with a solid start to 2020 up until early January, when bushfires and the coronavirus unsurprisingly created some “headwinds” for the local business.

One of Australia’s most iconic and luxurious properties, Southern Ocean Lodge, has sustained significant damage by bushfire during the afternoon of Friday January 3, 2020, operator Baillie Lodges has confirmed.