Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has appointed Baden Rielly (pictured) as chief digital officer, with the role to commence in early June.
Rielly joins a reshaped executive team at SCTI that includes Sarah Owen as chief risk and legal officer and Anne-Lise Blackburn as chief people officer. Chief executive officer Carole Tokody took on the leadership role in early February. Tokody said the insurer is placing greater emphasis on digital capability to support its operations and growth plans in New Zealand and Australia. “Technology and digital enhancement are key enablers in our strategy to grow in Australasia. It’s imperative our customers and partners are able to connect with our people, products, and services in ways that truly work for them. It’s also incumbent on us to explore how we can enhance our productivity through digital platforms, ensuring long-term sustainability and productivity,” Tokody said.
Rielly has previously overseen digital channels and partner integrations at Air New Zealand and Spark. He said SCTI’s focus on integrating technology across partner networks and customer channels was central to his decision to take up the position. “I was drawn to the role thanks to the exciting strategy SCTI has in place, particularly to integrate with partner channels. It’s a tremendously complex yet hugely rewarding direction for SCTI to be travelling in and technology is central to its success. I’ve been looking at what SCTI has been doing to enhance service, product, and accessibility, and I’m excited to be part of their growth, all by ensuring our customers have everything they need, when they need it, and how they want it,” he said.
The appointment comes as SCTI releases its fifth “Future of Travel” report, which examines how New Zealanders travelled in 2025 and what they are planning for 2026. The findings are based on an online survey conducted by InsightsHQ from Nov. 18 to Dec. 22, 2025, involving a nationally representative sample of 1,072 New Zealanders aged 18 and over. The report covers recent travel activity, preferred trip types, destination choices, the impact of the cost of living, attitudes toward travel insurance, generational differences in behaviour, and the use of artificial intelligence in travel planning. SCTI positions the research as providing context for insurers, intermediaries, and tourism-related businesses assessing changing demand and risk.
In 2025, 84% of New Zealanders took at least one domestic or international trip. Around three in four travelled within New Zealand in the previous 12 months, and almost half travelled overseas. Looking ahead, 80% of respondents plan to travel domestically in the next year, and 61% are considering an overseas trip. The proportion of people not planning any overseas travel has declined from 50% to 39%, while those planning one overseas trip increased from 34% to 43%. Generational patterns vary. Gen Z respondents are the most likely to have travelled overseas in the last year, at 57%, and 65% plan international trips in the next 12 months. Domestic travel intent remains relatively high across all age groups, with most respondents in Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, and Baby Boomer cohorts expecting to travel within New Zealand.
Australia remains the leading overseas destination, nominated by 52% of respondents planning international travel, reflecting the central role of trans-Tasman routes. At the same time, political and safety concerns are influencing destination choices. Forty-two percent of respondents say these concerns are changing their travel plans, and 74% report being less likely to visit the US. Higher living costs are altering how New Zealanders structure their trips rather than stopping travel altogether. While about 38% say the cost of living does not affect their planned overseas travel, many are changing timing, length, or spending patterns.
According to the survey, 39% have temporarily stopped travelling to save for a more significant trip, and 29% are taking shorter trips closer to home. To manage budgets, 60% avoid high season, 40% choose low-cost airlines, and 38% opt for cheaper dining or entertainment. Younger travellers, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, report reducing other expenses to maintain travel plans. When respondents choose to allocate extra funds, they tend to favour specific experiences. Thirty-eight percent nominate unique or once-in-a-lifetime experiences as their main discretionary spend, followed by extending a trip with additional nights or destinations at 27%, and dining at high-end restaurants at 25%.
The findings highlight both an increase in stated importance of cover and continuing gaps in protection, particularly among younger adults. The Future of Travel survey shows that 88% of New Zealanders now regard travel insurance as a priority for international trips, up from 79% in November 2024. However, independent research by Octopus for SCTI indicates that around 19% of New Zealanders travelled overseas without any travel insurance in 2025, compared with 15% in 2024. Among 18 to 29-year-olds, the uninsured rate was about 26%, meaning more than one in four young travellers went abroad without cover.
Domestic travel insurance is less frequently treated as essential. Only 25% of respondents now identify travel insurance as a priority for trips within New Zealand, down from 40% in November 2025. SCTI notes that, although domestic policies do not cover medical care, average domestic claim sizes are comparable with international claims when medical costs are excluded, reflecting the role of public health services and the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) in local medical expenses. Key reasons cited for purchasing travel insurance are emergency medical coverage (79%), protection against cancellations or disruptions (75%), and cover for loss of travel costs (74%). Factors such as extreme weather (67%), conflict (62%), and political developments (60%) are identified as drivers of increased uptake. “Peace of mind” is cited by 71% of respondents as a primary reason for buying cover.
