NAB data reveals a massive 80 per cent Australian summer holiday spending surge as Aussies hit coastal hotspots and boost local and regional economies nationwide.
Domestic travel experiences its biggest spike in the summer months as Aussies take advantage of the long break and longer days to visit top holiday hotspots across the country, spending big as local businesses cash in.
NAB analysis of 500,000 transactions in popular beach towns from 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 saw an Australian summer holiday spending boost of 80 per cent ($188 million), compared to an average two-week period ($104 million).
The Australian summer holiday spending spike over the two-week festive fortnight break is estimated to be worth a combined extra $84 million to local economies with restaurants, retail and accommodation, such as hotels, motels and caravan parks, reaping the biggest financial benefit.
Australia’s top summer holiday hotspots where domestic tourists spent up big were in Victoria with Lakes Entrance and Lorne nabbing first and second place.
St Helens and Swansea in Tasmania achieved third and fourth spot, respectively, while NSW’s Jervis Bay came in at number five on the Australian summer holiday spending list.
Rounding out the top 10 are Rye, Victoria (6), Margaret River, WA (7), Robe, SA (8), Batemans Bay, NSW (9) and Burleigh Heads, Qld (10).
Lakes Entrance saw the biggest spending spike, up a whopping 644 per cent, followed by Merimbula, NSW (up 465%) and Rye (up 453%).
NAB Executive, Metro and Specialised Business Julie Rynski said Australia’s tourism sector hits its stride in summer and provides a boost for local businesses across the country.
“Business owners in these areas are often at their busiest as the population of holiday hotspots swell. This peak period contributes to much of their annual turnover as the increases in accommodation, hospitality and service station spending show,” she said.
“Accommodation had the biggest increase in spending in Lakes Entrance in eastern Victoria with spend up more than 600 per cent over two weeks, while Margaret River in southern Western Australia has seen a 786 per cent rise in retail sales.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: Australia’s love affair with the summer road trip shows no sign of slowing with Australian summer holiday spending delivering a vital economic shot in the arm for regional and beach towns and reaffirming domestic tourism’s role.
