With domestic travel in Australia beginning to recover from COVID-19, Australians are beginning to seek out domestic vacations. In a positive sign for the industry, it appears we’re willing to put our wallets where our wanderlust is.

Booking hub Airbnb has just released a list of the top 10 trending destinations in Australia, alongside an announcement that they’ll be updating their platform to make local travel easier post-pandemic.

According to research done by Airbnb, there were more bookings for domestic travel on their platform over the past two weeks (May 24 – June 6), than there were in the same time period last year. The platform saw year-over-year growth in gross booking values for the first time since February, after travel restrictions were eased last weekend (June 5–7).

These are the top ten trending destinations in Australia, according to research commissioned by Airbnb:

1. Albany (WA)
2. Busselton (WA)
3. Mudgee (NSW)
4. Margaret River (WA)
5. Wilsons Promontory (VIC)
6. Southern Highlands (NSW)
7. Far South Coast (NSW)
8. Mid North Coast (NSW)
9. Phillip Island (VIC)
10. Jervis Bay (NSW)

The same survey showed that nearly half of Australian respondents said they’ll prefer to stay within a day’s drive for their first trip, with half of Australians saying the purpose of that first trip will be ‘to be with family or friends’.

The changes to the Airbnb app and homepage are designed to help guests discover local gems and last minute getaways close to home, by featuring local trip ideas and highlighting easy-to-reach escapes.

As of today, there’s also a new dedicated domestic travel hub, called Go Near. 

The brand is also set to launch an email and social media campaign named Go Near, aimed at promoting nearby getaways and domestic Airbnb experiences.

In a statement, the booking platform said that they will continue to work with governments and tourist agencies to help restore and boost travel responsibly, in a way that benefits both travellers and the industry alike.