While Aussies continue to have a soft-spot for must-visit holiday destinations including Bali, Singapore and London town, the Hotel Price Index™ (HPI™) from Hotels.com has revealed that obscure cities are now taking centre stage with Istanbul and Hiroshima among the highest risers in the top 100 most popular destinations for Australian travellers in 2018.
Istanbul, Turkey charged right to the top of the list jumping a whopping 33 places in the last 12 months, to become the highest rising destination for Aussie travellers. Boasting the beloved Byzantine Hagia Sophia, complete with rare Christine mosaics, as well as being located right at the cusp of Europe and Asia, Istanbul is also a city that can be done on a budget with the average price paid* for a room per night being $130, still significantly less than other top cities.
Meanwhile, even though Tokyo continues to have a strong allure nabbing the third spot for most popular international destination for Aussie travellers, there are definitely some new kids on the block. Chiba, Hiroshima and Sapporo round out the top five highest risers as travellers seek destinations that are cheaper and less crowded, opting instead to venture elsewhere for their cultural fix.
The picturesque Chiba located on Tokyo’s eastern outskirts and rural Bōsō Peninsula, has a famed mix of traditional and modern attractions including the Tokyo Disney Resort, the stunning Kujūkuri Beach and the majestic Naritasan Shinshō-ji Temple.
Zoe Chan, Head of PR – Asia Pacific for the Hotels.com brand, said: “Australian travellers have without a doubt always had a keen sense of adventure. However, what the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index has highlighted is that cities that are slightly off the beaten track are becoming increasingly popular destinations.”
“In particular, Japan has always been on the bucket-list for Aussie travellers, due to a combination of ancient culture, sweeping scenic views and intoxicating modernity, making it a real east meets west destination.”
“Several cities in Japan such as Chiba strike the right balance of being an exotic destination, conveniently located only a flight away and not suffering from overtourism. The ease of having all of this at the click of a button is not to be underestimated as Hotels.com has one of the widest range of hotel choices, competitive deals and user-friendly technology.”
Highest risers amongst the top 100 most popular destinations for Australian travellers in 2018:
Top 100 most popular international destinations for Australian travellers in 2018:
| CITY | COUNTRY | 2018 rank | 2017 rank |
| Bali | Indonesia | 1 | 1 |
| Singapore | Singapore | 2 | 2 |
| Tokyo | Japan | 3 | 6 |
| London | United Kingdom | 4 | 5 |
| Bangkok | Thailand | 5 | 3 |
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