Local and international experience seekers opted for thrills, flavours and wildlife as the top Australian travel experiences for 2025, fuelled by rising interest in nature-based activities in both city and beachside destinations.
Big Red Group’s Annual Experiences Index for 2025, culled from RedBalloon, Adrenaline and Experience Oz bookings, found theme parks topped the list as Australia’s most popular tourism activity, followed by culinary adventures and wildlife encounters across the country.
As the home of Australia’s major theme park attractions, Gold Coast also topped the list of experience destinations for 2025, followed by Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns and Port Douglas.
Queensland destinations dominated the hotlist, securing 60 per cent of the top 10 spots with Cairns, Port Douglas, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast all making the list.
Perth was a new entry to the top 10 destination hotlist at number nine, while Hunter Valley was the fastest-growing in 2025, making it into the list in 10th spot.
Top Australian travel experiences for 2025
Demand for culinary experiences rose 5.1 per cent year-on-year with popular activities like sunset dinner cruises, immersive and fine dining and gourmet tastings taking the lead.
Big Red Group also reported a massive surge in bookings for wildlife encounters (up 78.6%) with aquariums and zoos up a whopping 1,213 per cent year-on-year.
International travellers were particularly keen to discover Australia’s nature offerings, accounting for 70 per cent of the year’s top Australian travel experiences, including wildlife encounters, reef cruises, bushwalking and ecological attractions.
The third quarter of 2025 also welcomed an influx of inbound tourism with experience bookings by international travellers up 60 per cent year-on-year, making it one of the strongest post-pandemic rebounds to date.
Big Red Group Founder & CEO David Anderson said: “We’re now seeing sustained momentum return – driven by both inbound travellers and everyday Australians rediscovering the joy of shared experiences.”
“What’s particularly encouraging is the quality of that demand. While consumers may be more selective with their spending, they continue to choose experiences that deliver real value – those that create connection or offer a moment of escape.
“These results reinforce that our tourism and experiences industry is not only resilient but evolving, setting up our operators across Australia for a stronger 2026.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: Big Red Group’s data underscores how experience-led travel continues to drive Australia’s tourism rebound with local and international travellers prioritising connection, adventure and authenticity over material luxury.
