Travel

12 TraveL YEAR OF NO NORMAL TRAVEL

The Big Merino, Goulburn.

Named: top 10 2023 destinations

„ DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

WHEN three travel internet giants named their Top 10 travel trends for 2023 it came as quite a surprise when hidden gem Yeppoon was the sole Queensland town on the Australian list.

In a State which includes icons like Port Douglas and the Whitsundays, Yeppoon proved to be the quiet achiever. However anyone who has visited this beautiful place just north of Rockhampton will realise why it’s on this prestigious list

Expedia, Wotif and Stayz have recently delved into a vast bank of travel data and surveyed thousands of people to discover popular travel trends for this year.

Dubbed as The Year of the No-Normal, the latest Traveller Trends report finds that there is no longer a ‘one-sizefits-all’ approach to travel and that 2023 will bring us a year all about breaking routine and searching for experiences without compromises.

The findings were obtained from the group’s first-party data as well as custom research of thousands of travellers and industry professionals across 17 countries.

Rubbing shoulders with the diverse travel destinations of Bright and Wodonga in Victoria, Tamworth and Goulburn in NSW, and Nietta in Tasmania, Yeppoon has cracked the list of 10, with the data showing that the demand for each of these hotspots has increased by 55% or more.

“When we look at Expedia, Wotif, and Stayz data together, we see a detailed and robust picture of travel into 2023,” President of Expedia Brands Jon Gieselman said.

“We're seeing a surge in trips to culture capitals, streaming services inspiring travel and a spike in demand

WHAT AUSSIE DESTINATIONS ARE TRENDING FOR 2023?

1. Bright, High Country, VIC 2. Marysville, Yarra Valley, VIC 3. Crackenback, Snowy

Mountains, NSW 4. Goulburn, Capital Country,

NSW 5. Wodonga, Murray East, VIC 6. Halls Gap, Western

Grampians, VIC 7. Tamworth, New England,

NSW 8. Echuca, Central Murray, VIC 9. Yeppoon, Capricorn Coast,

QLD 10. Nietta, North West, TAS

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The local kids say “Yep!” to Yeppoon.

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for outdoor destinations beyond just beaches - not a new normal, but people branching out to unexpected trends in what we're calling the "no-normal."’

As the Capricorn Coast gears up for a very strong summer holiday period, Capricorn Enterprise CEO Mary Carroll said this latest published travel trend was in line with “what we already know, as we come off the back of a record couple of years”.

“While we know that this data release is looking into a crystal ball towards the future, we know that the past remains a perfect indicator of what’s to come,” Mary said.

“Our destination has continued to sustain visitation across 2022, with our accommodation operators from across both the Capricorn Coast including Rockhampton experiencing 85 – 95% occupancy consistently.”

“We have no doubt that this will continue in 2023, and we look forward to continuing to see our beautiful seaside villages along the Coast and our easily accessible island paradises continue to thrive,” Mary said.

The insights revealed that more than 40% of travellers were inspired by streamed movies and TV shows, while another 31% were influenced by social media.

Travellers are also exploring charming locations from high alpine places to farm-style escapes and the Capricorn Coast is among the destinations that have seen the highest demand increase for farm-style escapes.

“Not only are we proud to promote our stunning beaches and islands on the Capricorn Coast, but we are also fortunate to be in abundance of both country landscapes and national parks, providing visitors with a broad diversity of experiences,” Mary said.

View the full 2023 Travel Trends Report here - https://www.expedia.com/see/2023traveltrendsexpedia