New Zealand road trip rising in popularity, study shows

A new study has shown the popularity of road trips among New Zealanders, particularly millennials, as well as the 'iconic' locations that might make the itinerary. Photo / 123RF

The roadie has remained a popular way for New Zealanders to see the country over the past year, according to a new study, which estimates more than 10 million trips were taken in the last 12 months.

As for who is hitting the road, millennials and Gen Z are leading the charge, according to the study from Budget New Zealand and YouGov Research.

More than 90 per cent of millennials surveyed had taken a spin around the country, making them the most likely to take a road trip.

Gen Z wasn’t too far behind, coming in at 91 per cent. Millennials also express more of a future interest in road trips, with 93 per cent confirming they’d be taking a trip in the next year, compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers, who polled a little lower at 88 per cent and 84 per cent respectively.

The giant Ohakune carrot was one of the 'wacky tourist locations' highlighted as a iconic landmark for road trippers in a new study. Photo / Paul Moss

Nearly half of those surveyed (48 per cent) said they’d like to include iconic landmarks along their ideal route, including Ohakune’s giant carrot, Gore’s giant trout or the cold slopes of NZ’s mountainous regions. Rivers and lakes, white sand beaches, charming small towns and vineyard touring were also some of the wish list spots highlighted by respondents.

Almost a quarter (23 per cent) expressed a want to travel more sustainably and seek out more eco-friendly travel locations. Just over one in five (21 per cent) wanted to find educational experiences to better understand the cultures and communities relevant to the places they travel. This could mean tourist attractions will see a growth in popularity should environmental and cultural considerations be made and communicated to travellers.

The giant brown trout sculpture at Gore was another location highlighted by some as an ideal road trip stop. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Interestingly, 423,000 New Zealanders would likely forgo company on their journey, instead opting to travel solo. There was also a sense of adventure highlighted in the responses, which meant 384,000 would be happy to start a spontaneous trip, with no specific destination in mind

Looking forward, 89 per cent noted planning to take a road trip in the next year (up from 85 per cent last year), and nearly half of those who hadn’t been on a road trip in the past year were planning to take one in the next.

The study surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1256 New Zealanders.