Aussies urged to take Monday off before Australia Day and travel

A tourism forum is urging Australians to take advantage of Australia Day falling on a Tuesday and take the Monday off to travel. 

Tourism and Travel Forum’s Summer consumer survey revealed 50% of respondents don’t intend to take a break over the hottest months of the year, a figure CEO Margie Osmond found disappointing. 

Osmond said that while Aussies are known for hoarding their annual leave, they should extend their weekend and recharge with a holiday stint instead.

“An Australia Day long weekend getaway can come in all shapes and sizes from packing up the car and spending a few days in the regions to flying to the other side of Australia to explore the offerings of another capital city,” said Osmond.

Roy Morgan research found Aussies are sitting on 123.5 million days of accrued annual leave, which equates to an average of 15 days per full-timer. 

RELATED: Why waste your annual leave? Top budget adventures you won’t forget 

If a recent article by the Sydney Morning Herald is anything to go by, nearly 200,000 Australians will call in sick on Monday instead of taking annual leave.

But for those planning on celebrating Australia Day in major cities Sydney and Melbourne, they might want to bring an umbrella. Sydney is looking grim with a forecast for thunderstorms and treacherous surf conditions. The Bureau of Meteorology also forecasts Melbourne for possible showers and light winds with a top of 24 degrees.  

If the Tourism and Transport Forum has inspired you to take a break from work, you might like to visit Mozo’s travel money hub to compare options before heading off.