Bring on the jingle bells and the jet lag! Christmas is officially one month away, ushering in a festive frenzy and a flurry of last-minute travel plans. This year, thousands of lucky Australians are heading overseas for the silly season, trading traditional beach holidays for cultural hotspots like Vietnam, Morocco and India. However, our nation's top ten international Christmas destinations feature some adventurous wildcards. Christmas in Costa Rica, anyone?
The data revealing the most popular Christmas destinations comes from Intrepid Travel, which analysed thousands of Australian bookings over the peak festive season. While Intrepid offers small group trips to more than 100 countries across all seven continents, the results point to one overwhelming favourite: Asia, claiming a massive seven out of the top ten spots.
Vietnam is the undisputed favourite, claiming 26.1 per cent of all Christmas bookings, with high demand for express southbound trips and family-friendly itineraries. There’s a lot to love about Vietnam: it offers great value, thanks to a favourable exchange rate and cheaper flights than long-haul routes to the US or Europe. Add in pleasant weather and rich cultural experiences, and you’ve got a relaxing yet enriching festive getaway.
Asia’s popularity extends to tropical favourites like Sri Lanka (14.1 per cent) and Thailand (7.7 per cent), proving that beachy holidays still hold some appeal. But many Aussies are swapping sunscreen for cultural experiences in places like Morocco (13.9 per cent) and India (11.3 per cent).
Beyond these Asian hotspots, Australians are chasing adventure, with unexpected destinations like Egypt, Costa Rica, Peru and Jordan charting in the top ten. We’re totally keen to skip the backyard barbecue for an ancient desert exploration or cloud forest trek. Who’s coming?
The top 10 Christmas destinations for Australian travellers
- Vietnam
- Sri Lanka
- Morocco
- India
- Thailand
- Egypt
- Cambodia
- Costa Rica
- Peru
- Jordan