Tuesday 14 June 2022

Australia’s winter travel destinations see strong up-lift from 2019 pre-pandemic levels

Falls Creek
Booking.com today released its latest search data trends for winter 2022*. The latest data reveals that Australians are keen to return to not just hit the slopes but winter warmer destinations in Queensland as well. The latest data highlights that many destinations are seeing even stronger interest than versus 2019 pre-pandemic levels. 

Last week, from the Central Tablelands of New South Wales to the Snowy Mountains, an icy blast brought a dumping of snow, prompting Perisher Valley to open earlier than expected, welcoming guests back from Saturday 4 June. 

According to the Bureau of Meteorology’s Climate and Water Outlook for Winter 2022, the latest cold snap is set to continue through June. Temperatures in the south eastern states of Australia are expected to be cooler than average during the day, great news for those keen to hit the slopes ASAP. 

With Thredbo and Mt Hotham both officially opening this weekend, Saturday 11 June, Booking.com has revealed the top 10 of Australia’s favourite and frostiest most searched snow destinations, as well as the overall the national top 20 for July through to August.

Top 10 Snow Destinations in Australia (with rank changes vs 2019 pre-pandemic):

  1. Jindabyne, NSW
  2. Mount Buller, VIC (+2)
  3. Thredbo, NSW
  4. Falls Creek, VIC
  5. Mount Hotham, VIC
  6. Bright, VIC (+5) 
  7. Perisher Valley, NSW
  8. Cradle Mountain, TAS 
  9. Mount Beauty, VIC
  10. Halls Gap, VIC

Top 20 Overall Winter Destinations in Australia (with rank changes vs 2019 pre-pandemic):

  1. Gold Coast, QLD (+2)
  2. Melbourne, VIC
  3. Sydney, NSW
  4. Cairns, QLD (+1)
  5. Brisbane, QLD
  6. Jindabyne, NSW  
  7. Port Douglas, QLD (+4)
  8. Darwin, NT (+2)
  9. Perth, WA
  10. Canberra, ACT 
  11. Adelaide, SA
  12. Hobart, TAS
  13. Airlie Beach, QLD (+7)
  14. Noosa Heads, QLD (+4)
  15. Mount Buller, VIC (+2)
  16. Palm Cove, QLD (+6)
  17. Thredbo, NSW
  18. Townsville, QLD (+6)
  19. Broome, WA (+4)
  20. Byron Bay, NSW 

Melissa Ellison, Area Manager Australia at Booking.com, said: “With winter well and truly here, it warms the heart to see snow lovers heading back to their most loved snow destinations across Australia for their winter ski fix.

The winter weather forecast is looking very promising for a glorious snow season and we’re thrilled to see strong demand return after a tough few years of fires and the pandemic. Regional destinations and winter towns are also proving popular, such as Bright which has moved up five places into our top 10 this year vs 2019 before the pandemic hit. Mount Buller is also seeing increased interest which moves into our number two spot, up two places since pre-pandemic.”

About Booking.com:

Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com’s mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world whenever it’s safe to do so again. By investing in the technology that helps take the friction out of travel, Booking.com seamlessly connects millions of travelers with memorable experiences, a range of transportation options and incredible places to stay -from homes to hotels and much more. Booking.com is available in 44 languages. 

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