After conducting research through the Visa Australia and New Zealand Travel Survey, Lonely Planet and Visa have created The Travel Companion; an online travel-planning hub.

Research revealed that when planning a trip, more than 30 percent of Australian’s visit friends and family’s social network photo albums for holiday inspiration.

Visa Australia country manager Vipin Kalra said Australian’s are passionate about travel and the new website is designed to aid, encourage and support.

“We’re thrilled to be able to provide people with tools and information to help them have an even more enjoyable trip, from savings and budgeting tips, to destination ideas and advice from the experts at Lonely Planet.”

More than 80 percent of Australians admitted to having at least one yearly trip planned and organised at least three to four months in advance.

Individual itineraries can be conceived using The Travel Companion’s ‘Create Your Own Guide’ (CYOG) tool, which allows users to pool together Lonely Planet’s information on some of the world’s best destinations.

“The CYOG tool is unique in that it can create a compact and personalised Lonely Planet guide of must-see sites and activities. Travellers can add their own notes and comments and even share their guide via email and social media with friends, family and fellow travellers,” Mr Kalra said.

Research showed Australian’s are fond of taking credit, debit and prepaid charge cards overseas as a means of protecting their finances while abroad.

With this in mind, Visa and Lonely Planet’s Travel Companion provides tailored information on the best banking options for individual customer finances. 

“The Travel Companion will enhance the experience and excitement of planning a trip,” Client Solutions director APAC for Lonely Planet Samantha Finnegan said.

“The Create Your Own Guide is a fun way for consumers to access Lonely Planet’s expert advice on what to do and things to see as they plan their next adventure. We’re proud to continue our long-standing partnership with Visa, culminating in this first-of –its-kind travel resource.”

In association with the launch of The Travel Companion, Visa is giving Australians the opportunity to win their dream trip by creating their own guide and submitting their best tips.