15 October 2025 | See disclaimer
We’re over New York’s Brooklyn Bridge. And as for Paris, it seems Aussies have Seine enough. We’ve had an Eiffel, and now we’d rather escargot to the Land of the Rising Sun.
What are the international destinations that top our travel wish list? Budget Direct surveyed more than 1000 Australians over 18 years of age to find out.
Let’s dive in to find the top destinations that entice Aussie adventurers to fly across the pond.
Quick Stats
Tokyo took out the top wish list destination with 57% of survey respondents saying they wanted to visit the land of the rising sun.
Rome, Italy and London, United Kingdom tied for second as the most popular places Aussies want to visit at 47%, with Paris, France not far behind at 41%. New York City, USA was next at 38%.
Only 24% of respondents in Western Australia had visited New York City, the lowest out of all the states surveyed.
When travelling, 63% of people in our survey chose family as their travel companion.
Nearly 70% of survey respondents are currently planning their next wish list holiday.
The travel bug is biting 78-87 year olds the most, with 36% surveyed planning to take their wish list holiday in the next six months, followed by 28-37 year olds (34%).
It’s confirmed… Aussies love travelling!
Why do you visit the places on your travel wish list?
Why do Aussies visit the places on their travel wish list?
More than 85% of those surveyed visit the destinations on their wish list because they want to take holidays overseas.
Just over 60% love travelling overseas as a reason to visit the places on their travel wish list, and 50% do so to visit friends and family.
Only 11% visit their travel wish list because of business and/or work.
Breaking it down by state, both Western Australia (88%) and New South Wales (88%) respondents tied for taking a holiday overseas as the reason for visiting the destinations on their travel wish list.
South Australian respondents took out the top spot for those travelling for business and/or work (17%), with Victorian survey respondents next in at 13%.
Almost 60% of South Australian respondents and 53% of Victorian respondents visit their friends and family as a reason why they visit the places on their travel wish list.
Who are you most likely to travel with?
Who are the best travel companions?
Travelling with family took out the top spot by a mile, with 63% of respondents agreeing.
Only 11% of respondents would travel with friends, and 4% with a tour guide.
Respondents in Western Australia were more likely to travel by themselves than any other state at 27%, with Victorians next at 22%. Only 16% of Queenslanders surveyed would travel by themselves, the lowest out of the states.
Surprisingly, 8% of Queenslanders would travel with a tour group compared to 1% of South Australians surveyed.
Queensland respondents took the top spot for the state most likely to travel with friends (12%), and both New South Wales and South Australia tied for second at 11%.
Around 66% of New South Wales residents surveyed were most likely to travel with family, followed closely by Victorian respondents (62%) and South Australians (61%).
Move over Rome, take me to Tokyo!
Which of the following international locations are on your wish list? Select all that apply.
So which destination is on the top of the wish list?
Tokyo shot to number one with a bullet train—a whopping 57% of survey respondents said they wanted to visit Tokyo, pushing the vibrant Japanese city into top spot.
Rome, Italy and London, United Kingdom tied for second as the most popular places our surveyed Aussies want to visit at 47% with Paris, France not far behind at 41%. New York City, USA was next in at 38%.
NSW |
VIC |
QLD |
SA |
WA |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paris, France |
39.9% |
44.5% |
37.8% |
45.1% |
35.9% |
Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
22.6% |
22.4% |
22.4% |
21.1% |
20.7% |
Madrid, Spain |
31.7% |
38.2% |
31.8% |
28.2% |
26.1% |
Tokyo, Japan |
60.4% |
61.4% |
53.2% |
38.0% |
57.61% |
Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
31.1% |
35.7% |
31.3% |
29.6% |
30.4% |
Berlin, Germany |
32.0% |
30.2% |
29.9% |
31.0% |
27.2% |
Rome, Italy |
45.1% |
51.8% |
43.8% |
45.1% |
48.9% |
New York, New York, USA |
38.1% |
41.5% |
35.3% |
36.6% |
40.2% |
Barcelona, Spain |
32.9% |
39.3% |
34.8% |
22.5% |
30.4% |
London, UK |
46.0% |
49.3% |
46.8% |
46.5% |
42.4% |
None of the above |
7.3% |
5.9% |
8.5% |
8.5% |
10.9% |
For the state breakdown, nearly all states surveyed had Japan as their favourite international travel destination (60%, 61%, 53%, 58%).
However, for South Australian respondents, London was the favourite international travel destination (47%).
Which of the following international locations have you already visited? Select all that apply.
No surprise that London was the international location that most survey respondents had already visited (47%)—a true favourite for Aussie travellers.
Paris was close behind at 43%.
From the list provided, only 16% of respondents had already visited Madrid. Barcelona was next with 21% of survey respondents already visiting the Spanish city.
No wonder Japan is at the top of the travel wish list for Aussies—only 29% of respondents had already visited the city; however, more survey respondents said they had visited Japan compared to destinations such as Dubai (22%) and Berlin (23%).
NSW |
VIC |
QLD |
SA |
WA |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paris, France |
45.1% |
44.5% |
41.3% |
36.6% |
43.5% |
Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
23.5% |
19.1% |
24.4% |
32.4% |
19.6% |
Madrid, Spain |
17.1% |
14.7% |
16.9% |
19.7% |
15.2% |
Tokyo, Japan |
31.4% |
27.2% |
29.4% |
25.4% |
20.7% |
Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
29.9% |
29.4% |
31.3% |
31.0% |
30.4% |
Berlin, Germany |
26.2% |
20.6% |
25.4% |
19.7% |
17.4% |
Rome, Italy |
37.8% |
36.4% |
35.3% |
32.4% |
37.0% |
New York, New York, USA |
39.3% |
30.2% |
37.3% |
36.6% |
23.9% |
Barcelona, Spain |
22.3% |
19.9% |
22.9% |
23.9% |
22.8% |
London, UK |
47.3% |
44.9% |
47.8% |
52.1% |
44.6% |
None of the above |
19.2% |
20.2% |
22.4% |
18.3% |
28.3% |
Only 24% of respondents in Western Australia had visited New York City, the lowest out of all the states surveyed.
More than 52% of South Australian respondents had visited London, more than any other state.
18-27 |
28-37 |
38-47 |
48-57 |
58-67 |
68-77 |
78-87 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paris, France |
26.0% |
36.9% |
37.8% |
44.8% |
53.7% |
51.4% |
62.3% |
Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
13.0% |
19.4% |
21.4% |
20.7% |
29.0% |
27.0% |
28.3% |
Madrid, Spain |
14.3% |
12.6% |
12.9% |
20.7% |
13.6% |
18.0% |
35.9% |
Tokyo, Japan |
24.7% |
30.6% |
34.3% |
29.9% |
28.4% |
17.1% |
26.4% |
Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
19.5% |
20.7% |
23.4% |
33.3% |
41.4% |
38.7% |
49.1% |
Berlin, Germany |
13.0% |
18.0% |
21.9% |
20.1% |
27.2% |
28.8% |
39.6% |
Rome, Italy |
23.3% |
27.9% |
31.3% |
38.5% |
47.5% |
40.5% |
58.5% |
New York, New York, USA |
13.0% |
36.9% |
36.3% |
36.8% |
33.3% |
33.3% |
49.1% |
Barcelona, Spain |
15.6% |
17.1% |
17.9% |
21.8% |
25.3% |
24.3% |
43.4% |
London, UK |
26.0% |
34.7% |
39.3% |
47.1% |
63.0% |
58.6% |
81.1% |
None of the above |
33.8% |
23.0% |
19.9% |
19.0% |
21.0 |
19.8% |
11.3% |
For those surveyed aged 18-27, unsurprisingly both Paris and London were the top destinations most had already visited, with 26% of respondents visiting the cities before.
Over a third of respondents aged 18-27 had not visited the international locations listed (34%).
For respondents aged 28-37, both Paris and New York City were the top international locations they had already visited (37%).
Spanish cities Madrid and Barcelona were the destinations that those surveyed aged 58-67 had least visited (14% and 25% respectively).
The next international trip is certainly booked
Are you currently planning your next wish list holiday?
Nearly 70% of survey respondents are currently planning their next wish list holiday.
For those aged 18-27 and 28-37, planning the next wish list holiday is clearly a huge priority!
Just over 70% surveyed aged 18-27 and 74% aged 28-37 are currently planning their next wish list holiday.
A whopping 80% of South Australians surveyed are currently planning their next wish list holiday, with Victorians coming in second at 70%.
West Australian respondents were least likely to be planning their next wish list holiday, with only 63% currently organising a trip.
When will you take your next wish list holiday?
The post-Covid travel bug is well and truly biting, with 61% of respondents planning to take their wish list holiday within 12 months (29% in 6 months, 32% in the next year).
A quarter of those surveyed said they will take their next wish list holiday within the next two years.
18-27 |
28-37 |
38-47 |
48-57 |
58-67 |
68-77 |
78-87 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
In the next six months |
23.4% |
34.2% |
26.4% |
25.9% |
25.3% |
30.6% |
35.9% |
In the next year |
42.9% |
34.2% |
34.8% |
28.7% |
32.7% |
29.7% |
26.4% |
Within the next two years |
26.0% |
20.7% |
23.4% |
26.4% |
25.9% |
27.9% |
24.5% |
Within the next five years |
3.9% |
7.2% |
9.5% |
12.1% |
13.0% |
7.2% |
0.0% |
In more than five years |
3.9% |
3.6% |
6.0% |
6.9% |
3.1% |
4.5% |
13.2% |
For the age breakdown, respondents aged 78-87 have the travel bug biting the most, with 36% surveyed planning to take their wish list holiday in the next six months, followed by respondents aged 28-37 (34%).
Just over a quarter of respondents aged 38-47 plan to take their wish list holiday in the next six months (26%).
More than 40% of respondents aged 18-27 plan to take their wish list holiday in the next year.
Respondents aged 48-57 and 58-67 plan to take their wish list holiday within the next five years (12% and 13% respectively).
NSW |
VIC |
QLD |
SA |
WA |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
In the next six months |
30.8% |
26.5% |
26.9% |
33.8% |
28.3% |
In the next year |
35.1% |
34.9% |
32.8% |
23.9% |
27.2% |
Within the next two years |
21.7% |
25.0% |
26.4% |
28.2% |
23.9% |
Within the next five years |
9.2% |
8.1% |
8.0% |
11.3% |
10.9% |
In more than five years |
3.4% |
5.5% |
6.0% |
2.8% |
9.8% |
For the state breakdown, 34% of South Australian respondents plan to take their wish list holiday in the next six months, followed by New South Wales (31%).
Both New South Wales and Victorian respondents plan to take their wish list holiday in the next year (35%).
South and West Australian residents surveyed plan to take their wish list holiday within the next five years (11% and 11% respectively).
