Hidden corners: the surprising hotspots redefining travel in 2026

Move over revenge travel - this is the new trend Aussies are loving.

Langhorne Creek Vineyards in South Australia. Picture by FPT/Adam Bruzzone

Updated October 21 2025 - 11:11am, first published 11:10am

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Domestic travel is enjoying a revival as Australians rediscover what's in their backyard, following years of "revenge" travelling internationally after COVID-19 lockdowns.

Nature-based escapes, wine regions, glamping and farm stays are set to be hot in 2026, as Australians get back to basics and embrace the benefits of slow travel.

New data from booking platform Omio shows 68 per cent of 1000 Australians surveyed plan to explore destinations within Australia during the next 12 months.

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But it's not just domestic holidays that are trending; Australians are taking to the regions to get away from the crowds and explore something new.

Regional reign

Holiday-rental platform Airbnb's Australia country manager, Susan Wheeldon, said Aussies are looking for getaways that take them "off the beaten path", with "nature-filled", lesser explored destinations such as Maleny in Queensland and Pambula Beach in NSW trending this spring.

"There has also been a resurgence in regional travel to vineyards, with our previous research [from March 2025] showing that 88 per cent of Aussies are looking to branch out from major wine regions and uncover something new, citing local historical landmarks, and food and wine festivals as two key drivers for rural travel," Ms Wheeldon told Explore.

More than 33 per cent of domestic accommodation spending by Airbnb guests occurred outside of major cities in 2024, up four percentage points from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

In addition to Pambula and Maleny, Airbnb's top trending regional domestic destinations this spring - based on searches made for spring 2025 during 2024, compared to the same period in 2023 - are a mixture of beach and inland towns, many of them hidden gems.

Mollymook in NSW: Picture by Destination NSW

In NSW, Clothiers Creek and Mollymook made the list, alongside the Sunshine Coast and Sandstone Point in Queensland, Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale in South Australia, and Esperance in Western Australia.

An annual travel trends report from holiday-booking platforms Expedia, Wotif and Stayz, called Unpack '26, found accommodation searches for holiday parks from September 2024 to April 2025, compared to September 2023 to May 2024, were up 13 per cent, with couples bookings leading a traditionally family-dominated sector.

The report, which polled 1000 Australian travellers during July 2025, found more than 90 per cent were keen on farm stays, from feeding animals to stargazing experiences.

Beaches on top

Meanwhile, separate data from tourism experiences provider, Big Red Group, found Australia's domestic tourism landscape is becoming increasingly polarised, with a concentration around iconic coastal spots like the Gold Coast and Byron Bay.

New research from the company surveying 1000 Australians in September 2025 found fewer than one in five Australians are venturing beyond the five largest cities, leaving some of the nation's most celebrated destinations, like Exmouth in WA and Stanley in Tasmania behind.

"Towns like Bowen [Queensland] and Devonport [Tasmania] were visited by less than five per cent of Australians in the past five years, despite being nationally recognised for tourism excellence," CEO David Anderson said.

Nearly half of the respondents believed Sydney, Gold Coast and Melbourne were at risk of over-tourism, however more than half said cost was a barrier to regional tourism.

Mr Anderson said targeted investment to improve affordability, as well as better transport options and marketing support were needed to boost these "incredible destinations" in regional Australia.

Do you think regional travel is more expensive than major cities? Let us know at editor@exploretravel.com.au

Words bySarah Falson

Sarah is ACM’s travel producer. She believes regional travel is just as fun (if not better) than staying in the big cities and loves any travel experience to do with nature, animals and food!.

My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me.

Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life.

My top travel tip is … Don’t plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what’s within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.