'Most-visited' city in the world remains number one choice for Aussie travellers
Japan not only remains the biggest hotspot for Aussie travellers, according to a new report, but it's also the top trending travel destination in the world.
The Asian nation has seen a 60 per cent uptick in Australian visitors compared with pre-COVID 2019 figures, the 2025 Mastercard Travel Trends Report revealed.
Meanwhile New Zealand and Bali remain favourites for Aussies, David Mann, chief economist of Asia Pacific for Mastercard, tells 9Travel.
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Japan remains the biggest hotspot for Aussie travellers, according to a new report. Getty Images/iStockphoto
"Japan is the most recovered destination of any of the main key markets that Australian outbound travellers go to," he says, with data showing traveller numbers are up 60 per cent.
The number of Aussies going to Bali has risen by 27 per cent since 2019.
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Travel to Queenstown in New Zealand and Nadi in Fiji is also up, by around 14 per cent.
India, China, and South Korea are rising in popularity for Aussie travellers, too.
Dubai and Istanbul were also mentioned as increasing in popularity in the report, with the latter winning the accolade as the top place for foodies to indulge worldwide.
Istanbul is the top place for foodies to indulge. Getty
As for what destinations increased in popularity for Australians and New Zealanders compared with last year, rather than pre-COVID, they were a little different.
The French capital Paris topped that list - likely bolstered by Paris 2024.
Brisbane and Sydney followed.
The cities of Hong Kong and Tokyo round out the top five on that list.
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Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris, one of the world's most popular cities. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Top trending destinations, (from Aus and New Zealand), year on year June-September 2025:
- Paris, France
- Brisbane, Australia
- Sydney, Australia
- Hong Kong, China
- Tokyo, Japan
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Seattle, USA
- Beijing, China
- Ohrid, Macedonia
- Christchurch, New Zealand
Best value places to travel
Some of the popularity of Japan is likely down to the value Aussies and other holidaymakers get because of the good exchange rate.
And one thing researchers noticed was that when they go there, Aussies want to take advantage by shopping up a storm - including on luxury goods.
"We've seen the share of Aussie consumer spending in Japan accounted for by retail," Mann says.
While the survey doesn't cover domestic travel, Mann says spending on fuel also indicated many Australians are choosing road trips to getaway.
Tax free shops are popular with Aussies in Japan. Getty
Worldwide travellers want to go to these places
Japan leads the pack for where most holidaymakers plan to go from around the world over the next six months.
Amid the depreciation of the Japanese Yen, Tokyo became the most visited city in the world in 2024 – displacing Bangkok, which had held the top spot for the past decade the research revealed.
Tokyo, as well as another city, Osaka, have seen the two largest increases in demand since last year.
Meanwhile, Nha Trang in Vietnam made a surprise entry into the list. The spot on the nations' east coast is famous for beaches and nightlife.
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Nha Trang in Vietnam made a surprise entry into the list, experts say. Getty
"The Asia-Pacific region continues to set the pace for global travel, with buzzing destinations like Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, and Singapore capturing the imagination of travellers around the world," Mann says.
"Even as economic uncertainty persists, travel remains a bright spot – driven by people seeking meaningful, value-driven experiences."
Top trending destinations (global travellers), year on year, June-September 2025:
- Tokyo, Japan
- Osaka, Japan
- Paris, France
- Shanghai, China
- Palma De Mallorca, Spain
- Seoul, South Korea
- Beijing, China
- Madrid, Spain
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Singapore
Wellness and 'meaningful' travel on the up
What people most want to do on holiday is eat and relax, the report showed. This is especially the aim in Asia, the data found.
Topping the list for wellness spots overall, were Namibia, South Africa and Thailand.
Tourists want to "reconnect with nature" in eco lodges or calm down in meditation retreats.
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Phuket Old Town in Thailand, which is a popular place to go for wellness trips. Getty
Italy, New Zealand and Canada are increasingly getting in on the wellness trend, with trips there increasing.
And they also are willing to pay for lavish experiences.
"We've been seeing more of a shift for the affluent consumers that were spending a lot, say, on the luxury goods, they've been shifting more into luxury experiences," Mann says.
Destinations like Bali, known for its iconic Babi Guling spit-roasted pork, and Queenstown in New Zealand, stood out as culinary hotspots.
Meanwhile, if there's a big sports clash, people will travel.
The Australian Open tennis tournament made travellers from around the world spend big to see the on-court action, the survey mentioned.
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