Inside the Mind of the Domestic Traveller: What Aussies Want Right Now

Look, I'll be straight with you. 

The borders have been wide open for ages now, but domestic travel is absolutely pumping. And honestly, I reckon it's going to stay that way.

After years of rediscovering our own backyard during the pandemic, Aussies have genuinely fallen in love with what's on offer locally. We're not settling anymore. We want exceptional experiences, and we want them without the jetlag.

So what are domestic travellers actually looking for in 2025/26? And more importantly, how can you position your business to capture that demand? 

Let me break it down for you based on what I'm seeing on the ground and in the data.

The Numbers Don't Lie: Domestic is Still Hot

Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, regional NSW and Victoria are all still seeing fantastic numbers, especially from Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane day-trippers and weekenders.

Recent research shows us some fascinating patterns. When Aussies describe their ideal holiday, three words keep popping up: fun, relaxing, and exciting. 

Notice anything? They're not mutually exclusive. Modern travellers want it all. They'll do a sunrise hike, then spend the afternoon wine-tasting, then collapse into a luxury bed with a view.

There's massive demand for food and wine experiences (no surprises there), beach-based getaways, and immersive nature activities. 

But here's the kicker: accommodation has become part of the experience itself. We're talking luxury glamping, rainforest treehouses, or even underwater stays. People aren't just looking for a bed anymore; they're looking for something Instagram-worthy that their mates haven't done yet.

And while the mass-market beach holiday is still going strong, there's this beautiful appetite for niche interests too: mountain biking, cultural festivals, Indigenous experiences, even competitive scuba diving. The market's fragmenting in the best possible way.

What's Really Driving Their Decisions?

Cost of living pressures are real. Your guests are feeling the pinch at the petrol pump and the supermarket checkout. But here's the thing: they're still booking holidays. They're just more selective about where their dollars go. Every experience needs to feel worth it. No one wants to drop $400 on a weekend away and feel like they could've done better.

Sustainability isn't a buzzword anymore. It's a deal-breaker for younger travellers. Millennials and Gen Z are actively choosing operators who give a damn about the environment and their local community. If you're doing good work in this space, shout about it. If you're not, maybe it's time to start.

Aussies are obsessed with their own backyard right now. We're hunting for stories, traditions, hidden gems that even locals don't know about. I had an operator in regional Victoria tell me their bookings doubled after they started highlighting the Indigenous history of their walking trails and partnering with a local Elder for monthly storytelling sessions. Same product, different framing,  completely different result.

Convenience is king. Self-drive destinations are winning. Short breaks are winning. Anything that's complicated to book or requires seventeen steps to understand? That's losing. Make it dead simple for people to say yes.

What Experiences Are They Actually Booking?

Food and Wine with a Bloody Good View

Australians will travel hours for a meal with a view. Ocean vistas, rainforest canopies, vineyard sunsets — put good food in a stunning location and you're onto a winner.

I worked with a hinterland cafe that was doing okay business. We repositioned them as a "sunrise breakfast experience" with a chef's selection menu featuring hyperlocal produce. They now take bookings three weeks out for weekend slots. Same cafe, same food (mostly), just a different story.

Quick win: If you're anywhere near a coastline or elevated position, create a "Taste Trail" map for your guests. Partner with local producers: the cheese maker, the distillery, the olive grove. Build picnic hampers they can take to scenic spots. Make it effortless.

Nature Immersion (But Make It Interesting)

Everyone loves nature, but let's be honest, a bushwalk is just a bushwalk unless you give it meaning. This is where creativity pays off.

One rainforest operator I know was struggling with bookings. We rebranded their standard guided walks as "Forest Bathing & Mindful Reconnection Experiences" with intentional pauses for breathwork and sensory moments. They tripled their pricing and still sell out.

Skywalks, cable cars, guided night tours where you spot nocturnal wildlife, even astronomy experiences in dark-sky locations, these are the things that transform "going for a walk" into a proper memory.

Try this: Add a unique angle to your nature offering. Can you do dawn or dusk sessions? Can you incorporate mindfulness, photography tips, or Indigenous plant knowledge? Give people a reason to choose you over free access to the same national park.

Active Escapes That Don't Feel Like Punishment

Wellness tourism is booming, but not the restrictive, celery-juice kind. Aussies want to move their bodies, eat well, and feel great without feeling deprived.

Purpose-built mountain bike trails are attracting weekend warriors from the cities. Hiking with a payoff (stunning summit, secret waterfall, boutique lunch) is huge. And pairing activity with relaxation? Chef's kiss.

Package idea: "Ride & Restore": mountain biking Saturday morning, remedial massage Saturday arvo, long lunch Sunday with local wine. You can charge a premium for that, and people will happily pay it.

Beaches & Marine Life (Beyond the Towel and Esky)

We're a beach-loving nation, but the novelty of just lying there has worn off for a lot of people. They want to do something.

Eco-snorkelling tours, conservation-focused dive experiences, marine biology sessions for kids — these are the bookings I'm seeing spike. 

A dive operator on the NSW coast launched an "Ocean Guardians" experience where families and teens learn about reef restoration while diving. It's fully booked for school holidays, and parents are emailing asking when the next dates are released.

Think about this: How can you add education or purpose to your beach offering? Can you partner with a marine scientist? Offer rock pool discovery tours with an ecologist? Create a "junior ranger" program?

Culture & Creativity (They Want to Feel Something)

Travellers are craving connection: to place, to people, to story. Art, music, history, and especially Indigenous culture are having a moment.

Sculpture walks, outdoor art installations, cultural festivals with live performance, Indigenous-led experiences that invite genuine learning and respect are all pulling crowds.

I worked with a small regional town that was struggling to differentiate itself. We helped them launch a quarterly "Art in the Laneway" event featuring local artists, live music, and food trucks. It became the drawcard that filled accommodation midweek. The local pub told me they've had to hire extra staff.

Partnership opportunity: Find the creatives in your community. The painters, the potters, the storytellers, the Elders. Build cultural components into your offering that feel authentic and enriching, not tokenistic.

Accommodation: It's Part of the Story Now

Let's talk beds. Or tents. Or treehouses.

Australians are booking accommodation the way they'd book an experience — because it is one. Luxury glamping with freestanding baths overlooking the valley? Booked solid. Underwater observatory bedrooms? Waitlists. Eco-certified lodges with solar power and rainwater tanks? Families are actively seeking them out.

Even standard B&Bs and motels can play this game. One regional motel I worked with added yoga mats to every room, partnered with a local instructor for weekend classes, and started offering organic breakfast hampers. They rebranded as a "wellness stopover" and increased their average nightly rate by 30%. Same rooms, different positioning.

Ask yourself: What could you add to your accommodation that transforms it from a place to sleep into an experience people talk about?

Events: The Ultimate Demand Driver

If you want to fill beds midweek or shoulder season, anchor yourself to events.

Food and wine festivals, outdoor concerts, sculpture walks, seasonal markets are the magnets that get people off the couch. Even if the event isn't yours, you can leverage it.

I know an operator two towns away from a major food festival who created a "Festival Escape Package": accommodation, breakfast, a packed lunch, and a shuttle to the event. They became the go-to option for festivalgoers who didn't want to drive home or camp.

Savvy move: Track what events are happening within an hour's drive of your business. Build packages around them. Market early. Capture that demand before your competitors do.

Booking Behaviour: What You Actually Need to Know

Here's what's happening on the booking front:

Short lead times. Most domestic travellers are booking 1-4 weeks out. Spontaneity is back. Your availability calendar needs to be visible and up to date.

Reviews are gospel. People are reading them obsessively. One bad review can cost you twenty bookings. One glowing review can earn you fifty.

Packages sell. Bundling accommodation with experiences, meals, or activities makes the decision easier and increases your revenue per guest.

Direct bookings are climbing. Especially for short stays, people are going straight to your website if they can find it and it's easy to use.

Here's What That Means for Your Business:

Keep your Google Business Profile immaculate. Photos, hours, responses to reviews — all of it matters.

Offer something exclusive for direct bookers. Even a $20 food and beverage credit or late checkout can swing the decision.

Build value-based packages. "Two nights + breakfast + sunset kayak tour" is so much more appealing than just a room rate.

Ask happy guests for reviews before they leave. Send them a friendly text with a link the day after checkout. Strike while the iron's hot.

My Top Tips for Capturing This Market

Speak like a human. Drop the corporate jargon. Use Aussie phrases. Reference the long weekends we actually care about (Easter, King's Birthday, Melbourne Cup). Talk about how your place is perfect for families, or couples, or mates' trips, be specific.

Mobile or bust. I'd bet money most of your bookings are happening on phones, probably while people are sitting on the couch scrolling on a Wednesday night. If your website isn't fast and simple on mobile, you're losing sales.

Make short stays sexy. Two-night bundles with activities and meals included. Friday check-in, Sunday checkout. Make the weekend escape irresistible and easy to justify.

Celebrate your locals. Aussies love a yarn about the family who's been running the vineyard for three generations, or the surf instructor who grew up on that beach. Put real people in your marketing. We connect with humans, not brands.

Video is your secret weapon. Seriously. A 30-second video of happy guests, your stunning location, and someone enjoying a local meal will outperform any brochure or blog post. People want to see it, not just read about it.

Final Thoughts: Delight Them, Don't Just Serve Them

Aussie travellers are savvy. They know what's out there. They've got high expectations, and honestly, they should.

But here's the good news: if you deliver a genuinely great experience, they'll come back. They'll bring their friends. They'll tag you on Instagram. They'll leave five-star reviews that do your marketing for you.

You don't need to be the flashiest operator in the region. You just need to be the most thoughtful.

Want help attracting more domestic travellers to your business?

At Exceptional Experiences, I work with tourism operators to grow bookings through custom strategies, creative content, and marketing that actually speaks to your ideal guests, not just generic tourists.

Let's turn your browsers into bookers and your visits into the kind of memories people treasure.

👉 Get in touch,  I'd love to help you make it happen.