Australia ranked ninth as global travel roars back in 2025
Australia makes the top 10! "Bleisure” is booming, sustainability is on the itinerary and Aussies are leading the charge in eSIM adoption.
Sunshine, surf and cosmopolitan cities have once again put Australia on the global travel map, with the country ranked ninth among the world’s most-visited destinations in Holafly’s latest survey of international travellers.
The findings reveal what many in the tourism sector already know: visitors aren’t just chasing bucket-list landmarks, they’re searching for experiences that blend nature, culture and a sense of place, and Australia delivers, even during the winter months.
Spain claimed the coveted number one spot, with its magnetic mix of Mediterranean beaches, Gothic architecture and vibrant cities like Barcelona and Madrid. South Africa followed, luring travellers with Cape Town’s coastal drama and Durban’s lively energy, while Japan dazzled with a fusion of neon skylines, timeless temples and culinary adventures.
Travel is back, and travellers are wired in
Holafly CEO Pablo Gómez said the 2025 season underscored that the global appetite for travel is as strong as ever.
“Almost three-quarters of those we surveyed packed their bags, many rediscovering destinations close to home and others venturing back to long-haul trips,” he said.
But the survey highlights another defining feature of today’s traveller: digital connectivity. Only 0.8 percent of respondents switched off completely while abroad. Traditional roaming (31 percent) and local SIM cards (27 percent) still lead, but eSIMs (19 percent) are now firmly mainstream — with 95 percent of users saying they’d do it again.
Australians are at the forefront of this shift. They make up 44.2 percent of Asia-Pacific outbound travellers, and one in three are now choosing eSIMs, almost equal to local SIM use.
Gómez said this shift is reshaping the industry:
“We are entering a new chapter where digital access is not just about being connected, but about empowering travellers to move with freedom, confidence and purpose. eSIM is at the heart of this transformation.”
The rise of “bleisure” and sustainability
The report also tracked the growing “bleisure” trend — one in five business travellers extended work trips to blend them with leisure, with younger professionals (aged 25–45) leading the way. Many are using these trips to seek inspiration, relaxation and deeper cultural immersion.
Meanwhile, sustainability is front of mind for a new wave of travellers. Over one in three eSIM users (36.3 percent) factored environmental impact into their choices, signalling that greener, mobile-first solutions are quickly becoming the new norm.
Holafly’s 2025 survey paints a picture of a new global traveller: digitally savvy, sustainability-conscious, and eager to blur the lines between work and play, and Australia is firmly on their itinerary.
More tourism stories in AccomNews HERE
