Little Aussie dazzlers a hit with Airbnb travel crowd

Perth and the Sunshine Coast are climbing the list of Australia’s top tourist destinations.

Swiss tourist Damian Unger on the Gold Coast. ‘You can go somewhere and it’s just you by yourself at the beach; we don’t have that in ­Europe’. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Perth and the Sunshine Coast are climbing the list of Australia’s top tourist destinations, while the mix of Hollywood pizzazz and beachside beauty continue to lure ­people to the NSW north coast and the Gold Coast.

Sydney and Melbourne ­remain Australia’s top destin­ations for people booking through online site Airbnb, but the lure of the beach and the international exposure Byron Bay gains from being home to Thor star Chris Hemsworth have the NSW north coast entrenched at third place on Airbnb’s holiday hotspots list.

The Gold Coast held on to fourth place, while Perth and the Sunshine Coast moved two places up Airbnb’s list in the past year to sixth and seventh respectively.

The variety of day trips from Perth has proved a drawcard for visitors to the West Australian capital.

“Perth has got a really broad appeal,” said Airbnb’s Susan Wheeldon. “You’ve got the city itself and then, of course, you can day-trip down to Margaret River with its wineries and incredible beaches.”

Hobart and Brisbane also made the top 10, with the Great Ocean Road in Victoria falling three places to close out the list.

Swiss tourist Damian Unger, 27, has been living life like an ­Australian over the past month. Currently staying at the retro, Palm Springs-inspired Ventura Beach Motel on the Gold Coast, he understands why Australians are looking to holiday at home. “The beaches are amazing and they are not that packed,” Mr Unger said.

“You can go somewhere and it’s just you by yourself at the beach; we don’t have that in ­Europe.”

Last financial year, Australian travellers spent a record $77.5bn, according to official data. Those aged between 30 and 54 were the biggest spenders, averaging $809 a person each trip. Baby boomers averaged $666 a trip and 15 to 29-year-olds $471.

Brisbane couple Tim and Zoie Barclay, aged 28 and 30, have planned an extended wedding ­anniversary stay in Byron Bay over the Christmas break.

“We haven’t really been to Byron Bay much and we didn’t want to go too far,” Ms Barclay said. “I like the atmosphere, the shops and the coffee.”

Ms Wheeldon said the price of international travel was helping to keep Australians exploring ­locally.

“Travelling internationally, particularly over Christmas when flights are so expensive, and then you look at the exchange rate with the US dollar at the moment … things like the local holiday just do become more appealing,” Ms Wheeldon said.