WA holiday spot one of the most pet-friendly for travellers
According to the RSPCA, almost 70 per cent of Australian households have an estimated 28 million pets, and many Australians are looking for the perfect getaway with their furry companions.
New data from TripAdvisor reveals Australians are increasingly shaping their travel plans around their dogs and heading to pet-friendly destinations.
Holiday-makers searching for dog-friendly restaurants is up about 10 per cent compared to the previous period in 2024 and searches for pet-friendly accommodation labelled 'pets allowed' increased 22 per cent in early 2025.
The most pet-friendly destinations in Australia were Rye (Victoria), Rainbow Beach, (Qld), Mudgee (NSW), Robe (SA) and Dunsborough (WA).
TripAdvisor and My Dog have embraced the trend and teamed up to launch a new co-branded digital hub to connect Australians with pet-friendly communities.
The hub uses TripAdvisor's online platform and mobile app to help pet owners find dog-friendly travel spots and encourages businesses to recognise the benefits of becoming a pet-friendly destination.
Users can find city guides featuring pet-friendly travel tips and attractions, as well as an AI trip builder to build a pet-friendly trip with itineraries guided by traveller tips and reviews.
TripAdvisor sales director Scott Wegener said the hub was designed to provide information in one place and inspire travellers to visit pet friendly communities throughout Australia.
Mr Wegener said they had seen an increase in demand and more people filtering pet-friendly on their platform.
'Almost 30 per cent of all accommodation that's listed on the site is classified as pet friendly, he said.
'There's roughly around 20,000 pet friendly accommodation providers throughout Australia that pet owners have access to and probably don't realise.'
He said while people probably had an expectation that the accommodation would be more rural or beachside, there were a lot of inner city properties, as well as five star hotels, that were pet friendly.
'It's definitely growing and the beauty is the types of accommodation that offer pet friendly are a mix,' he said.
'Australia has one of the highest percentages of pet ownership in the world and our latest research indicates that more than 50 per cent of those pet owners in Australia plan to travel with their pets in the next 12 months.'
Stacey Pinchbeck, 37, owns two golden retrievers named Dolly and Darcy that are a big part of her little family.
She likes to take them away on family trips with her husband Lynden and baby, so friends or family members are not burdened with looking after her pets.
She said it was stressful finding accommodation providers that would allow them to take two dogs aged five and 18 months, as well as find places to eat with and walk the dogs.
'I want to bring the dogs with us, not only would I miss them but I feel bad if I have to leave them behind but I don't like the idea of having a petsitter or stranger in my home,' she said.
'I have a sister who lives in LA and it is pretty standard over there if you have a dog it will go to restaurants or hotels with you.
'We are a bit behind here, I feel like it's starting to take off but it is still really hard to find accommodation that will allow you to bring two dogs, some places might only allow one small dog.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
7 minutes ago
- Perth Now
AI training pilot to upskill more than 30,000 teachers
More than 30,000 teachers could be trained in the use of artificial intelligence technology as part of a year-long trial spearheaded by US tech giant Microsoft and Australia's Future Skills Organisation. The firms will announce the pilot program in Canberra on Wednesday in collaboration with 13 industry and education partners, and in a move designed to promote wider adoption of AI technology. The plan to boost Australia's AI use comes a day after the Productivity Commission recommended schools deploy the technology for both teachers and students, and after it named AI adoption as one of its priorities for the year. Artificial intelligence technology is also expected to be a major focus at the federal government's Economic Reform Roundtable next week. The Future Skills Organisation's pilot program, called Skills Accelerator AI, is designed to reach more than 30,000 vocational education and training staff, as well as the students they teach. Equipping educators with AI tools and teaching them how to use them would be vital to boosting productivity and creating new industries, Future Skills Organisation chief executive Patrick Kidd said. "We did some research across the finance, tech and business sectors and found that more than 60 per cent of people are using AI but less than 30 per cent have been trained in it," he told AAP. "(AI is) happening, it's here, now we need to make sure that we're starting to put some shape around it so that we're doing it responsibly, safely and effectively." The training program will include access to a wide range of AI tools, he said, as well as mentors and examples of effective AI use from industry partners. Groups involved in the program include TAFE in Queensland and South Australia, the Swinburne University of Technology, the Commonwealth Bank, Business NSW, and the National AI Centre. Targeting teachers in the first phase of the pilot would help to spread AI education widely, Microsoft Asia small and medium enterprise corporate vice-president Rachel Bondi said, and to encourage its responsible use. "(AI is) reshaping every job and we have to make the training available to all roles and all jobs and not just in certain sectors that may have received that type of training before," she said. "We're hoping that this collaboration of everybody coming together is really going to pave a way for a national approach." Federal Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles said he hoped the partnership would help to create "practical, scalable training" for Australian workers. In a report issued before the government's economic roundtable, the Productivity Commission recommended state and territory governments train teachers in the use of AI technology and that schools use the tools to assist students and teachers. AI technology is expected to be a major focus at the three-day event in Canberra after the Tech Council predicted it could add $115 billion a year to Australia's economy by 2030.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
How low can they go? Growth and jobs to rule rates call
With a highly-anticipated Reserve Bank interest rate cut in the bag, the prospect of more mortgage relief in September is looking less secure. After the central bank cut the cash rate by a quarter percentage to 3.6 per cent on Tuesday, Governor Michele Bullock raised hopes of more rate reductions to come. While she wouldn't specifically state where the cash rate would end up when all is said and done, Ms Bullock indicated more cuts would be consistent with the RBA meeting its targets of low inflation and full employment. The bank's quarterly economic forecasts, also released on Tuesday, assumed two more cuts, based on market pricing. "You'll note that in the forecasts, we have inflation coming back down to target and the unemployment rate remaining where it is with a couple more cash rate cuts in there," Ms Bullock said. "That's the best sort of guess, but things can change." Money markets continued to price in two more cuts by early 2026, following the decision. But traders were less hopeful that the RBA would deliver another cut at its next meeting in September, pricing in about a one-third chance. Ms Bullock said the board would take things "meeting-by-meeting", keeping a close eye on upcoming data releases to ensure the economy continues to progress in line with the RBA's aims. CBA senior economist Belinda Allen expects the RBA to wait until November before cutting again, but that could shift depending on how the data unfolds. "The governor did not rule out back‑to‑back cuts. Inflation appears under control, so any acceleration of the cutting cycle we expect would have to be driven by a deterioration in the labour market," she said. Ms Allen said the most important data readings before the next meeting would be labour force surveys released on Thursday and in September, as well as economic growth figures for the June quarter to be released on September 3. RBA staff lowered their GDP growth forecasts as they pared back their expectations for trend productivity growth from one per cent to 0.7 per cent per year. Australia's economy is now expected to expand by 1.7 per cent - down from 2.1 per cent - in 2025. While the uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's trade war had eased, there remained risks to growth. "Recent international developments have so far had little discernible impact on the Australian economy," the RBA's Statement on Monetary Policy said. But given the typical lag, any discernible effects were only expected to start showing up in the second half of 2025 or 2026. While labour force figures are key to the RBA's assessment of the tightness of the jobs market, the bank will keep an eye on wage growth data on Wednesday to confirm low unemployment isn't contributing to an unsustainable rise in wages. With a highly-anticipated Reserve Bank interest rate cut in the bag, the prospect of more mortgage relief in September is looking less secure. After the central bank cut the cash rate by a quarter percentage to 3.6 per cent on Tuesday, Governor Michele Bullock raised hopes of more rate reductions to come. While she wouldn't specifically state where the cash rate would end up when all is said and done, Ms Bullock indicated more cuts would be consistent with the RBA meeting its targets of low inflation and full employment. The bank's quarterly economic forecasts, also released on Tuesday, assumed two more cuts, based on market pricing. "You'll note that in the forecasts, we have inflation coming back down to target and the unemployment rate remaining where it is with a couple more cash rate cuts in there," Ms Bullock said. "That's the best sort of guess, but things can change." Money markets continued to price in two more cuts by early 2026, following the decision. But traders were less hopeful that the RBA would deliver another cut at its next meeting in September, pricing in about a one-third chance. Ms Bullock said the board would take things "meeting-by-meeting", keeping a close eye on upcoming data releases to ensure the economy continues to progress in line with the RBA's aims. CBA senior economist Belinda Allen expects the RBA to wait until November before cutting again, but that could shift depending on how the data unfolds. "The governor did not rule out back‑to‑back cuts. Inflation appears under control, so any acceleration of the cutting cycle we expect would have to be driven by a deterioration in the labour market," she said. Ms Allen said the most important data readings before the next meeting would be labour force surveys released on Thursday and in September, as well as economic growth figures for the June quarter to be released on September 3. RBA staff lowered their GDP growth forecasts as they pared back their expectations for trend productivity growth from one per cent to 0.7 per cent per year. Australia's economy is now expected to expand by 1.7 per cent - down from 2.1 per cent - in 2025. While the uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's trade war had eased, there remained risks to growth. "Recent international developments have so far had little discernible impact on the Australian economy," the RBA's Statement on Monetary Policy said. But given the typical lag, any discernible effects were only expected to start showing up in the second half of 2025 or 2026. While labour force figures are key to the RBA's assessment of the tightness of the jobs market, the bank will keep an eye on wage growth data on Wednesday to confirm low unemployment isn't contributing to an unsustainable rise in wages. With a highly-anticipated Reserve Bank interest rate cut in the bag, the prospect of more mortgage relief in September is looking less secure. After the central bank cut the cash rate by a quarter percentage to 3.6 per cent on Tuesday, Governor Michele Bullock raised hopes of more rate reductions to come. While she wouldn't specifically state where the cash rate would end up when all is said and done, Ms Bullock indicated more cuts would be consistent with the RBA meeting its targets of low inflation and full employment. The bank's quarterly economic forecasts, also released on Tuesday, assumed two more cuts, based on market pricing. "You'll note that in the forecasts, we have inflation coming back down to target and the unemployment rate remaining where it is with a couple more cash rate cuts in there," Ms Bullock said. "That's the best sort of guess, but things can change." Money markets continued to price in two more cuts by early 2026, following the decision. But traders were less hopeful that the RBA would deliver another cut at its next meeting in September, pricing in about a one-third chance. Ms Bullock said the board would take things "meeting-by-meeting", keeping a close eye on upcoming data releases to ensure the economy continues to progress in line with the RBA's aims. CBA senior economist Belinda Allen expects the RBA to wait until November before cutting again, but that could shift depending on how the data unfolds. "The governor did not rule out back‑to‑back cuts. Inflation appears under control, so any acceleration of the cutting cycle we expect would have to be driven by a deterioration in the labour market," she said. Ms Allen said the most important data readings before the next meeting would be labour force surveys released on Thursday and in September, as well as economic growth figures for the June quarter to be released on September 3. RBA staff lowered their GDP growth forecasts as they pared back their expectations for trend productivity growth from one per cent to 0.7 per cent per year. Australia's economy is now expected to expand by 1.7 per cent - down from 2.1 per cent - in 2025. While the uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's trade war had eased, there remained risks to growth. "Recent international developments have so far had little discernible impact on the Australian economy," the RBA's Statement on Monetary Policy said. But given the typical lag, any discernible effects were only expected to start showing up in the second half of 2025 or 2026. While labour force figures are key to the RBA's assessment of the tightness of the jobs market, the bank will keep an eye on wage growth data on Wednesday to confirm low unemployment isn't contributing to an unsustainable rise in wages. With a highly-anticipated Reserve Bank interest rate cut in the bag, the prospect of more mortgage relief in September is looking less secure. After the central bank cut the cash rate by a quarter percentage to 3.6 per cent on Tuesday, Governor Michele Bullock raised hopes of more rate reductions to come. While she wouldn't specifically state where the cash rate would end up when all is said and done, Ms Bullock indicated more cuts would be consistent with the RBA meeting its targets of low inflation and full employment. The bank's quarterly economic forecasts, also released on Tuesday, assumed two more cuts, based on market pricing. "You'll note that in the forecasts, we have inflation coming back down to target and the unemployment rate remaining where it is with a couple more cash rate cuts in there," Ms Bullock said. "That's the best sort of guess, but things can change." Money markets continued to price in two more cuts by early 2026, following the decision. But traders were less hopeful that the RBA would deliver another cut at its next meeting in September, pricing in about a one-third chance. Ms Bullock said the board would take things "meeting-by-meeting", keeping a close eye on upcoming data releases to ensure the economy continues to progress in line with the RBA's aims. CBA senior economist Belinda Allen expects the RBA to wait until November before cutting again, but that could shift depending on how the data unfolds. "The governor did not rule out back‑to‑back cuts. Inflation appears under control, so any acceleration of the cutting cycle we expect would have to be driven by a deterioration in the labour market," she said. Ms Allen said the most important data readings before the next meeting would be labour force surveys released on Thursday and in September, as well as economic growth figures for the June quarter to be released on September 3. RBA staff lowered their GDP growth forecasts as they pared back their expectations for trend productivity growth from one per cent to 0.7 per cent per year. Australia's economy is now expected to expand by 1.7 per cent - down from 2.1 per cent - in 2025. While the uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's trade war had eased, there remained risks to growth. "Recent international developments have so far had little discernible impact on the Australian economy," the RBA's Statement on Monetary Policy said. But given the typical lag, any discernible effects were only expected to start showing up in the second half of 2025 or 2026. While labour force figures are key to the RBA's assessment of the tightness of the jobs market, the bank will keep an eye on wage growth data on Wednesday to confirm low unemployment isn't contributing to an unsustainable rise in wages.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
‘Bad news' for Treasurer Jim Chalmers' major focus on productivity, economic growth after RBA downgrades outlook
Australian mortgage holders were promised financial relief when the Reserve Bank of Australia cut rates on Tuesday, but the good news was shrouded by the central bank painting a bleak picture of the economy. Alongside lowering the cash rate to 3.6 per cent, the RBA downgraded its medium-term productivity assumption to just 0.7 per cent year-on-year, down from its previous assumption of one per cent. It also warned Australia's economy was incapable of growing faster than two per cent over its forecasts. This comes as a major blow to Treasurer Jim Chalmers who has focused his sights on the nation's growth and productivity during the second Albanese government. HSBC's chief economist Paul Bloxham, who is also a former RBA economist, said the RBA's call was a blow for the nation's economic outlook. 'It is absolutely bad news that productivity is going backwards at the moment,' Mr Bloxham said on Business Now. 'And it's bad news that it's going backwards and it's been so weak that the central bank has been actually having to revise down its own working assumption because it had an unrealistically high assumption.' He stressed that growth was picking up pace, but that these fresh insights from the RBA hammered in the idea that Australians 'shouldn't expect the economy to grow much faster" than it currently is. 'If the supply side of the economy is going to remain weak, as the RBA is now assuming - potential growth rate for the economy, as they've said, is two per cent,' Mr Bloxham said. Australia's productivity will take centre stage at Mr Chalmers' upcoming economic roundtable next week where leaders across policy, business and unions will gather to tackle the lagging economy. After the RBA handed down its rate cut, the Treasurer was adamant Australia was equipped to tackle the nation's productivity problem. 'Productivity is the most serious economic challenge we have in our economy when it comes to those persistent structural issues,' Mr Chalmers told reporters. 'Productivity is the main one and that's why it is a central focus of the reform round table next week. 'That challenge has been long standing. It is also global, as the Reserve Bank points out. 'But it is substantial and it is the government's primary focus - not just next week, at the roundtable, but indeed for the course of this parliamentary term.' RBA governor Michele Bullock warned lower productivity growth could dent quality of life for Australians. "The way we grow our living standards is through productivity. So that's the key," Ms Bullock told reporters after the rate decision. She also warned real wages would continue to stagnate amid sluggish productivity. "Weaker productivity growth in the terms of our forecasts - the implications of that ... are already being felt," Ms Bullock said. "Real wages are not rising by very much, because the implication of slow productivity growth is that real wages can't grow as quickly."
