Remember that weird time when everyone was baking sourdough instead of booking flights? Or when a trip to Woollies was as close as you got to an overseas holiday? That era is long gone (hallelujah!), and we’re happy to report that Aussies are hitting the road (and skies) like they did before the pandemic. Even with the cost-of-living crisis, international travel is soaring, with 12 million outbound trips recorded in 2024-25 – up 12 per cent from the previous year.
Last year, New Zealand was dethroned as Australia’s favourite overseas destination – a title it has held since the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) began collecting travel records almost 50 years ago. It was overtaken by Indonesia, which reclaimed the crown in 2025 as the number one spot for holidaying Aussies. And honestly, we’re not surprised. It’s our closest and largest neighbour, boasting stunning islands, flavoursome food and affordable flights.
Aussies took 1,741,370 trips to Indonesia over the past 12 months, making up 14 per cent of all overseas travel. More than 82 per cent of these were for leisure, with numbers surpassing pre-Covid levels. While New Zealand followed in second with 1,409,320 trips, it remained the most popular destination for residents from most of our eastern states. Meanwhile, Indonesia topped the charts for travellers from South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Victoria, resulting in it claiming the overall crown.
Japan swooped in as Australia's third-favourite holiday spot, with the number of Aussies travelling there three times higher than a decade ago. With 910,640 trips, it overtook the USA, which saw 746,220 visitors from Australia. The USA was the only country in the top ten where travel volumes were lower than ten years ago, with 25 per cent fewer trips compared to 2014-15.
It was a big year for travel to China too, with the Asian nation climbing two spots to become Australia’s fifth most popular overseas destination. Like Indonesia and Japan, travel to China surpassed pre-Covid levels, with 643,530 journeys recorded. In July 2024, China introduced a new visa policy allowing Aussie citizens to enter without a visa for up to 30 days – a move that no doubt helped boost its popularity. So, where are you off to next?
The 10 most popular international destinations for Australians
- Indonesia
- New Zealand
- Japan
- USA
- China
- Thailand
- UK
- India
- Vietnam
- Fiji