Leading travel authorities say Australia needs to target green get-a-ways as a means of drawing in visitors for long-term holiday travel.

Recently released research from the New York-based travel marketing firm, Avant-Guide Institute New, reveals green travel as newest and biggest trend of our lifetime.

Daniel Levine of Avant-Guide Institut said; “I think Australia is in a unique position in that at least from outside people perceive it as being a more natural place than Europe or the US.” He said Australia needs to focus in on the natural attraction and market it.

Avant-Guide’s research also revealed travelers are looking for new and exciting destinations their neighbours haven’t been to and they want exciting new experiences. “Distance is a big barrier to entry that is not going to go away: optimally it would be great to focus on it rather than to try to hide it.”

Levine said “Hotels in destinations such as Sydney should be competing against each other to offer unique things and experiences that nobody else offers: it’s about being innovative.”

Mr Levine cited examples such as a nightclub in the Netherlands that built its dance floor on springs and generates enough electricity from dancing patrons to power the whole venue. Other examples included hotels that allowed visitors effectively to rent a dog while they were guests.

“The idea is that by looking at how innovative companies from other industries are embracing these same social trends, we in the travel industry can get excellent ideas of what we should do.”