The results from its annual Travel Trends survey confirm the appetite for travel adventure is stronger than ever.
A remarkable 98% of travellers who took a holiday in the past 12 months plan to do so again in 2026, with many expecting to take more overseas trips and allocate bigger travel budgets than last year.
While traditional luxury holidays remain popular, live events and sports travel are emerging as major motivators for the year ahead including the global Formula One Grand Prix season, FIFA World Cup and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Adam Schwab, Luxury Escapes Co-Founder and CEO, said understanding why Australians travel is just as important as knowing where they’re going.
“Our annual Travel Trends Survey is a key tool to help us understand what motivates people to travel,” said Schwab.
“Whether it’s to see their favourite athlete, artist, aunt or atoll, 70% of those surveyed are saving hard for their holidays and planning to travel more than ever in 2026.”
Top Destinations for 2026
- Bali, Thailand and Vietnam – for value-for-money luxury holidays
- Italy & Japan – for multiple-times-in-a-lifetime, bucket list experiences
- UK and New Zealand – for family reunions and repeat visits
- The Maldives – for chasing all-inclusive ultimate indulgence
- USA – for major sporting events and cultural icons
What’s Hot
- Breakfast buffets – the most-loved inclusion (31%), ahead of room upgrades (16%) and lunch/dinner packages (12%)
- Travel websites and blogs – top inspiration source (56%), followed by friends and family (48%), YouTube (45%) and Instagram (37%)
- Multi-generational family trips – strong growth across all age groups
- Gordon Ramsay – crowned the celebrity chef Australians most want to host a culinary tour (36%), ahead of Jamie Oliver and Manu Feildel
- Travel Insurance – 88% of travellers intend to protect themselves and their trip with an insurance policy
What’s Not
- China – desirability down year-on-year potentially linked to exchange rate movements
- Aisle seats – 69% of flyers prefer window views
- Bungee jumping – least popular adventure activity (13%)
Perhaps the survey’s most entertaining insight came with the celebrities Australians most want to sit next to on a long-haul flight.
Dream seatmates include Chris Hemsworth, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sir David Attenborough, Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, Keanu Reeves and Barack Obama.
