Travel to our top destinations in Asia soared while US trips fell dramatically in April 2026, the latest official travel data has revealed.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) latest monthly report on outbound travel (measured by short-term resident returns), trips to Indonesia surged in April, with 161,700 journeys recorded – a massive increase of 16% compared to the same month last year.
Meanwhile, China, Vietnam and India trips also grew at a whopping rate, with 34%, 24% and 15% growth, respectively.
Elsewhere, Singapore (6%), Thailand (4%) and Japan (1.3%) all saw healthy increases, while closer to home, New Zealand trips also rose (3%).
One of the most impressive performers for the month was holiday hotspot Fiji, which welcomed a 13% increase in short-term arrivals from Australia.
States struggles
While the rest of the top 10 nations saw small to significant growth, the United States experienced its biggest fall in Aussie visits since a 20% drop in November 2025, with 16% fewer trips from Australia recorded in April. During the second full month of hostilities between the US/Israel and Iran, 47,900 Australians returned from short-term trips to the US.
Overall, the three top destination countries residents returned from were Indonesia (161,700 trips), New Zealand (135,190) and Japan (108,540).
Natalie Ball, Director of 1Cover Travel Insurance, says Japan’s continued popularity comes as no surprise.
“It offers a premium travel experience while being safe, appealing across demographics and relatively close to Australia,” she states.
“The favourable exchange rate has played an important role, with Australians feeling the pinch at home seeing strong value in Japan.
“Travellers can enjoy food, culture, shopping, skiing and wellness experiences at a relatively affordable price.”
In total, 1,092,380 short-term resident returns were recorded, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%.
Inbound update
When it comes to inbound travel, Australia welcomed 644,770 short-term arrivals in April.
While that reflects a small increase (0.6%) from the year before, the number of trips was 7.9% lower than the pre-COVID level in April 2019, showing it still isn’t smooth sailing for Australian tourism.
The biggest drop-off in visitation among our biggest markets was from the UK, which saw a 20% decline in trip numbers. This was likely due to the conflict in the Middle East, which disrupted flights between Britain and Australia.
Our top markets for the month were New Zealand (124,760 trips, accounting for 19.3% of all visitor arrivals), China (81,580) and the US (54,900).
Top 10 destination nations for April 2026
| Country of Stay | Apr 2019 | Apr 2024 | Apr 2025 | Apr 2026 |
| Indonesia | 108,010 | 133,160 | 139,910 | 161,700 |
| New Zealand | 129,210 | 121,320 | 131,360 | 135,190 |
| Japan | 58,200 | 91,560 | 107,130 | 108,540 |
| China | 63,540 | 60,330 | 67,970 | 90,930 |
| Vietnam | 32,480 | 42,730 | 54,910 | 68,000 |
| Thailand | 53,500 | 54,630 | 59,920 | 62,170 |
| India | 30,270 | 48,030 | 44,950 | 51,890 |
| USA (-20% Nov) | 81,130 | 60,520 | 56,770 | 47,900 |
| Singapore | 38,900 | 34,990 | 37,440 | 39,570 |
| Fiji | 29,130 | 34,220 | 34,420 | 38,730 |
Top 10 source countries for April 2026
| Country of Residence | Apr 2019 | Apr 2024 | Apr 2025 | Apr 2026 |
| New Zealand | 119,220 | 115,910 | 123,950 | 124,760 |
| China(b) | 96,240 | 58,020 | 73,770 | 81,580 |
| USA | 60,830 | 47,610 | 49,040 | 54,900 |
| UK | 59,150 | 40,140 | 55,990 | 43,770 |
| India | 30,920 | 35,360 | 36,090 | 33,710 |
| Singapore | 29,850 | 26,470 | 26,070 | 27,290 |
| Japan | 32,760 | 21,450 | 17,600 | 23,040 |
| Korea, South | 16,700 | 22,820 | 19,540 | 22,530 |
| Hong Kong | 31,030 | 12,930 | 22,860 | 20,610 |
| Philippines | 15,820 | 11,610 | 15,580 | 16,290 |
KARRYON UNPACKS: Asia’s momentum keeps strengthening, but the bigger story may be the widening gap between outbound and inbound travel. For travel advisors, demand is booming; for Australian tourism, the challenge remains.
