Australians to take more trips to Southeast Asia this year

A new report released by TravelInsurance.com.au reveals that nearly one in every three international trips taken by Australians in 2025 will be to Southeast Asia.

Projections also show that European destinations are falling out of favour with Australian travellers.

The data shows that travel to Southeast Asian destinations like Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia is expected to surge by 42 percent this year, and that the region as a whole is poised to attract up to four million Australian tourists. 

Indeed, TravelInsurance.com.au CEO Shaun McGowan opines: “Aussie travellers are prioritising value over expensive long-haul trips. They don’t want to take extended time off work to visit Europe or the US, only to battle jet lag for weeks and blow their budget in destinations where their dollars don’t stretch as far.”

McGowan added that many Australians are still in revenge travel mode, essentially making up for travel time and opportunities lost during the pandemic, though they’re being more cost-savvy about their trips.

He said: “With the rising cost of living, they’re choosing destinations closer to home to save on both flight costs and travel time.”

In terms of individual destinations, however, East Asia still has the upper hand, with China, Hong Kong, and Japan set to see the highest growth in terms of Australian arrivals in 2025.

The tale of the tape in Europe

On the other hand, a possible increase in Australian arrivals in Europe may come but growth will remain sluggish this year.

The number of Australians travelling to France may increase by as much as 14 percent this year, while those making their way to the United Kingdom are set to increase by 12 percent.

Overall projections likewise show that Aussies will take 12.6 million overseas trips in 2025, but if pre-COVID trends had continued, that number would have surpassed 14 million.