Bali might still be an Aussie favourite, but travellers are starting to look beyond the usual holiday destinations, with some surprising locations enjoying a massive surge in popularity.
New flight booking figures from Afterpay reveal that Rarotonga in the Cook Islands is leading the charge, recording a whopping 50 per cent increase in bookings between January and October 2026 compared with the previous year.
Queensland’s Hervey Bay is also attracting attention, with bookings climbing 29 per cent, while Melbourne’s Avalon Airport is up 26 per cent. Bangkok has jumped 22 per cent and New Zealand’s Queenstown is up 18 per cent.
And before Bali lovers panic, the Indonesian holiday favourite isn’t going anywhere. Bookings are still growing strongly, up 28 per cent.
But there’s another interesting trend emerging. Aussies are becoming increasingly spontaneous when planning their holidays.
Around one in four flights recorded in the data are now booked within just two weeks of departure.
Gen Z travellers are particularly adventurous, booking flights an average of 28 days before departure, compared with 38 days for Gen X.
It seems the days of organising every holiday twelve months in advance could be numbered.
And with quieter beaches, alternative destinations and last-minute adventures becoming increasingly appealing, Australia’s next favourite holiday hotspot might be somewhere you’ve never even considered.
So, would you ditch Bali for somewhere completely different?