Where Are We Planning to Travel This Summer? Here’s the Biggest Travel Trends (and Even Some Baches & Accomodation Still Available!)

December 21, 2025

Summer is HERE, thank God – so where are we all going? Here’s the best holiday trends, thanks to booking.com!

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Us Kiwis love to travel, but what does the data say about where they’re booking this year? Booking.com has just unveiled its Summer Search Data findings for 2025 that shows Kiwis are looking are on the extreme ends of travel: exciting and high-energy metropolitan escapes and slow, mindful nature retreats.

So what do the trends say?

Here’s what we’re vibing for this summer’s adventures:

Short-haul international escapes, especially across the Asia-Pacific region – Gold Coast, unsurprisingly, comes in at number one, perhaps thanks to the rising popularity of Air NZ’s direct service from Christchurch to Rarotonga.
Major city breaks are rising in popularity, driven by festivals, events and world-class dining – and there’s been a 30% increase in searches for Auckland.
There’s some strong South Island momentum, as travellers seek serenity, scenery and nature-first holidays (OMG get us there STAT).
Wellness and “glow-cation” experiences ARE rising, shown by Wānaka’s search results up 40%, and Taupō bumping up a place in the Top 10.
There’s also a continued appetite for culture, food and nature, whether that’s Auckland’s event-packed summer, Tokyo’s neon nights or Wānaka’s alpine calm.

Says Melissa Ellison, Area Manager for New Zealand at Booking.com, “Our 2026 Travel Predictions showed that next year travel is set to become a reflection of who people truly are, with journeys built around interests that perhaps in the past felt too niche or bold to explore. They’re embracing a future of tourism that’s partly AI-driven and highly personalised, yet also quieter, slower, and more intentional.”

“Kiwis appear to be kicking this new era of travel off early – with Booking.com summer search data showing destinations like Wānaka, ideal for stepping into a fantasy world for a trending ‘romantasy retreat’, are up 40%. Further afield, Asia-Pacific stands out with nine of 10 located in the region, including foodie hotspots like Melbourne, Singapore, and Bangkok – ideal for embracing the ’shelf-ie souvenirs’ trend of culinary inspired keepsakes.”

Below is the full list of the top 10 searched domestic and international destinations for Kiwis – are you planning on heading to any of these places soon?