Home Travel News

Melbourne tops the tourist list

Melbourne has become the most popular travel destination during the September school holiday months.

Melbourne has become the most popular travel destination during the September school holiday months.

Australian cities are the most booked destinations for Aussie holiday makers these September school holidays, according to new data from HotelsCombined.

While families may be choosing to holiday within the country, the figures suggest that the amount spent by Australians on accommodation per stay has increased dramatically in the last 12 months, from $(AUD)387AUD in 2013 to $(AUD)482.

Our local capitals have also trumped international destinations.

The most-booked destinations for Australians over the September school holidays (20 September to 12 October 2014) are as follows:

1. Melbourne

2. Sydney

3. Gold Coast

4. Brisbane

5. Perth

6. Singapore

7. London

8. New York City

9. Canberra

10. Las Vegas

Melbourne is the most booked city for the September holiday period, shifting slightly from second position to first over the last 12 months.

Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane and Perth round out the top five for the second year in a row, while in ninth position, the popularity of Canberra has increased 37 per cent since last year.

Las Vegas is a newcomer to the most-booked list, while New York has grown in popularity; with the number of bookings increasing 27 per cent when compared to the same time period last year.

While the average amount Australians are spending on accommodation per stay has increased 24 per cent in the last 12 months, the average length of stay and hotel rating has stayed the same, two nights and three stars respectively.

Global PR and Content Manager of HotelsCombined, Alycia Simons says price is one of the key considerations of travellers in 2014.

“With the year-on-year cost of hotel accommodation over the September school holidays increasing, price is definitely one of the fundamental considerations of Australian travellers when booking hotels,”

Alycia Simons,  Global PR and Content Manager of HotelsCombined

Who really trumps in the tourist stakes in Melbourne vs Sydney? See the battle of the states here:

Where did you book your September holidays to?