Cold beats heat for summer holiday-makers heading OS

Bali has been knocked off its perch as Australians’ most sought after overseas summer holiday destination by a much colder place in a shift attributed to the improved affordability.

Australians cannot get enough of Japan, with Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto among the top five most searched travel destinations for summer. Picture: Getty

Bali has been knocked off its perch as Australians’ most sought after overseas summer holiday destination by Tokyo in a shift attributed to the improved affordability of a Japanese vacation.

Data shared by the Expedia group to mark the start of summer, ranked Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto in the top five most searched destinations for December-January with Bali second, and Singapore third.

Expedia brands managing director Daniel Finch said he was surprised by the popularity of Japan at a time of year normally dominated by island resorts.

“For us Bali is always in competition with Fiji and Hawaii, with Bali usually coming in first so I was quite shocked when we ran our numbers and Tokyo’s come out on top,” Mr Finch said.

“As we dug into the data, it was less surprising because foreign currency is a big thing and with the yen not being as strong as it has previously been, that’s a good contributor to the interest.”

Japan’s food and culture were also considered significant drawcards for Australians, along with the winter weather, Mr Finch said.

“It might sound odd but wintry conditions are something that interest Australians, and the fact it’s only recently started to fully open up is a big driver, plus there’s a lot more direct flights into Japan.”

More broadly, cost-of-living was having a major bearing on travel choices, with Expedia and Wotif noting the application of “price point” filters and searches for three and four-star hotels.

As a result non-traditional destinations such as Toowoomba west of Brisbane and Launceston in Tasmania were gaining some traction among holiday-makers hunting for a bargain.

“The average accommodation rate in Toowoomba is $201 which is very, very good value, and Launceston has an average rate of $245 a night,” said Mr Finch.

“We’re also seeing a lot more interest in capital cities than usual, particularly Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. That’s leading us to believe that people might want a luxurious hotel escape at a time when it’s a bit quieter and there’s some brilliant rates on offer.”

The Gold Coast is set to retain its crown as Australians’ favourite summer holiday destination. Picture: Elise Hassey.

Outside of the capitals, the Gold Coast appeared set to retain its crown as Australia’s favourite summer holiday spot, followed by the Sunshine Coast and tropical Cairns.

Those seeking a holiday home stay, rather than a hotel room or apartment, were more likely to be looking at Merimbula, Jervis Bay and Bega on the New South Wales South Coast and Byron Bay or Ballina on the North Coast.

“One that did surprise us in the holiday home sector, was the Hunter Valley which for us is usually a top winter travel destination but not so popular in the summer,” Mr Finch said.

“The key thing for those looking at those places is what the holiday homes have on offer, such as outdoor cooking areas, some really nice pools and proximity to activities or amenities like wineries, biking or hiking trails.”

Regardless of destination, Mr Finch said the volume of searches and bookings made it clear the summer holiday escape was still highly valued by Australians.

“I think people are feeling more and more fatigued as we come closer to the end of the year, their body is telling them they need to take a holiday, and they really don’t mind where they go as long as they can getaway,” he said.

“Our advice is be super open-minded with destination, be prepared to be really flexible with dates and there’s still plenty of availability.”