Top 2010 destinations for Australian travelers. Tuesday, 23rd February 2010 Source : HotelsCombined.com.au

The Australian domestic and international travelers' favorite destinations for 2010 published.

The results were recorded according to the top 10 locations booked through the hotel price comparison website.

City breaks are the preferred destination for Australian domestic travelers in 2010, with Sydney and Melbourne topping the list, while the tropical attractions of Bali and Phuket are the leading international drawcards for Australian visitors.

And the winner is..... Sydney

With 419 hotels, Sydney is the favorite domestic city with 20% of leisure and business travelers heading to the city, staying on average 3.1 nights at average room rates of $195. 

Runner up with 12.5% of travelers booking for Melbourne have a good excuse to shop due to the lower $169 average nightly rates currently on offer. Whilst room rates edge up to a $173 average for the 9.9% selecting a Gold Coast getaway in 3rd place.

With 3.5% of hotel bookings, the nation’s capital Canberra takes 4th place, closely followed by Adelaide and Perth, appealing to 3.1% and 3.0% of visitors. Visitors will have a little more spending money in their pockets, with average room rates of $168, $155 and $169 respectively.

In descending order, Brisbane, Hobart, Coffs Harbour and Cairns make up the remainder of HotelCombined.com.au’s domestic top ten. Wooing visitors with a low $124 average rate is 10th placed Cairns which has the longest average visitor stay at 4.7 nights, while comparatively visitors linger the least in Canberra for only 2.7 nights.  

HotelsCombined.com.au General Manager Michael Doubinski said, “Whilst capital cities are the main attraction for Australians choosing domestic travel this year, we have seen solid growth on the Gold Coast and regional cities including Coffs Harbour and Cairns.”

Bali and Phuket remain international Australian favorites

For the Australian travelers leaving the country, long-time Australian favorites Bali and Phuket are first and second choices for 8.8% and 6.3% of travelers, who pay an average overnight rate of $129 and $130 respectively, staying just over a week. Whilst Singapore will host 5.7% of Australian visitors, paying average hotel rates of $160. 

Some 4.7% of travelers will visit Kuala Lumpur at the lowest value rates of $92 on the international list.

Following is Hong Kong in 5th placed, hosting 4.3% of Australians at $136 average rates. Second in value is Bangkok at $98 per night which slots into number 6th spot.

Rounding out the international list is New York, by far the most expensive at $218 average rates, followed by London, Tokyo and Honolulu.

Doubinski commented, “Traditional Asian budget destinations – Bali and Phuket has always presented Australian jetsetters with superb value for money in breathtaking costal surroundings.”

www.HotelsCombined.com