Revealed: The travel hotspots Australians are heading to this summer

Almost three-quarters of Australians will be heading on holiday this summer — but many are choosing to stay closer to home.

Queensland continues to be the most popular travel destination this summer, but tourists are increasingly opting for cooler climes. Source: Getty / James D Morgan

With Christmas holidays looming and temperatures rising, so too are desires for an end-of-year escape.

Case in point: 74 per cent of Australians are planning a summer holiday, according to a new survey of 1,510 Australians from the Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF), the peak body for businesses in the tourism, transport and aviation sectors.

But cost pressures and tighter budgets mean more travellers are sticking to domestic or local sights. Around 34 per cent plan to holiday within their own state and 25 per cent hope to travel interstate. Just 15 per cent of Australians say they're heading overseas.

Here are the states, cities, regions and countries set to attract the most visitors this summer.

What are this year's travel hotspots?

When it comes to interstate travel, there are two clear frontrunners: NSW and Queensland, attracting 29 per cent of domestic Australian travellers each.

They're followed by Victoria (22 per cent), then Western Australia and South Australia (both 6 per cent).

The survey found the most popular individual destination to be the Gold Coast, with 11 per cent planning to soak up the sun there. Sydney (10 per cent), Melbourne (9 per cent) and Brisbane (5 per cent) round out the top picks.

Other emerging hotspots include Coffs Harbour and NSW's South Coast.

The Gold Coast is the most popular destination for Australian travellers this summer. Internationally, Aussies also plan on flocking to New Zealand. Source: SBS News

Where are Australians heading overseas?

For those going abroad, New Zealand remains the top choice, with 14 per cent of people who are travelling overseas planning to head across the ditch.

Europe is rebounding too: 12 per cent of travellers will take a winter holiday, up from 9 per cent last year.

Australia's love affair with Japan will continue, with 11 per cent heading there this summer.

Trips to Bali and Indonesia have nudged up from 8 per cent to 10 per cent, while Thailand and the US round out the list of most visited international destinations.

According to TTF's report, 54 per cent of Australians say financial pressure has impacted their travel plans. Source: SBS News

TTF's report also found 54 per cent of Australians say financial pressure has impacted their travel plans.

In response, many are taking shorter trips and planning to holiday for seven days or less.

Others are waiting for last-minute travel deals and discounts, while some plan on saving coin by travelling domestically instead of overseas.

Most travellers (75 per cent) plan to spend under $5,000, while 18 per cent expect to spend between $5,000 and $10,000.

Shifting away from the coast

Meanwhile, Expedia's Summer Travel Outlook report from November paints a slightly different picture; while Queensland dominates, the popularity of quieter, cooler inland destinations is rising fast.

Its survey of 1,000 Australians travelling this summer showed all top ten domestic destinations (excluding capital cities) are in Queensland, especially the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast areas.

But there's a clear shift inland, with searches surging for:

— Yarra Valley, Victoria (+85 per cent)

— Jindabyne, NSW (+65 per cent)

— Tweed Heads, NSW (+55 per cent)

"Destinations such as Jindabyne, NSW and Daylesford, VIC, can potentially offer average daily accommodation rates of up to 55 per cent less than the popular coastal hotspots and often less crowds," said Expedia travel expert Sarah King.

Domestic travellers are increasingly opting for trips inland, according to Expedia's report. Internationally, colder, snowy destinations are on the rise. Source: SBS News

Not feeling the heat

More than one third (36 per cent) of Australians say they want to swap summer heat for snowy winter escapes.

Internationally, Expedia found six of Australia's top ten international summer destinations are in Asia, with huge jumps in interest for:

— Shenzhen, China (+145 per cent)

— Sapporo, Japan (+70 per cent)

— Helsinki, Finland (+50 per cent)

Still, the most in-demand cities overall are Tokyo, Bali, Singapore, Osaka, London, Bangkok, Fiji, New York, Ho Chi Minh City, and Paris.

Trending domestic destinations

1. Yarra Valley, Victoria (+85 per cent)
2. Jindabyne, NSW (+65 per cent)
3. Tweed Heads, NSW (+55 per cent)
4. New Norfolk, Tasmania (+50 per cent)
5. Daylesford, Victoria (+45 per cent)
6. Kingscliff, NSW (+35 per cent)
7. Kangaroo Valley, NSW (+35 per cent)
8. Kiama, NSW (+30 per cent)
9. Mission Beach, Queensland (+30 per cent)
10. Barossa Valley, SA (+25 per cent)

Trending international destinations

1. Shenzhen, China (+145 per cent)
2. Sapporo, Japan (+70 per cent)
3. Helsinki, Finland (+50 per cent)
4. Hanoi, Vietnam (+40 per cent)
5. Kowloon, Hong Kong (+40 per cent)
6. Whistler, Canada (+30 per cent)
7. Dubai, UAE (+25 per cent)
8. Prague, Czech Republic (+20 per cent)
9. Auckland, New Zealand (+20 per cent)
10. Taipei, Taiwan (+15 per cent)

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