Hobart has landed on a list of the world’s hottest travel destinations for 2026, beating every other Australian city to claim a spot on global booking giant Expedia’s top 10.
Searches for the Tasmanian capital on Expedia jumped 25%, putting it alongside emerging destinations such as Big Sky in Montana and Okinawa in Japan.
Tourism Minister Jane Howlett said the recognition was significant for the state.
“We know Tasmania has what the world wants and listings like these help drive visitation to our state,” she said.
“Today’s travel market is highly competitive with many destinations vying for the tourist dollar, so it’s important to prioritise our visibility in domestic and international markets.”
Tourism Tasmania chief executive Sarah Kingston Clark said Expedia’s global reach made the accolade especially valuable.
“Having a strong Tasmanian presence on Expedia is vital, it’s often where travellers first discover our destination,” she said.
“From there, they’re inspired to explore more of what our regions have to offer.”
Expedia processes more than a billion travel searches every month.
The 2026 list was based on year-on-year search data comparing 2024 and 2025.
Big Sky topped the rankings with a 92% surge in searches, while other trending destinations included Sardinia, Vietnam’s Phu Quoc and Canada’s Ucluelet.
“Once an infamous penal colony, this waterfront city is now Tasmania’s cultural hub, drawing foodies and nature lovers from all over the world,” Expedia says of Hobart.
“Gone are the days of meager convict rations Hobart today offers some of the most innovative cuisine in the country and the quality of its local produce, beer and wine is prized throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific.”
The award follows Hobart’s recent recognition as the number one small city in the Asia-Pacific and one of the Top 10 Best Small Cities in the World as ranked by Condé Nast.
According to the Hobart City Council, visitor numbers in the capital have jumped from around 950,000 in 2013–14 to 1.3 million as of March 2025.
In the 2022–23 financial year alone, the sector generated $928.2 million in total sales and contributed $617.6 million in value added to the local economy.
Tourism now supports more than 10,000 jobs across the region – about 15% of total industry employment – with 3,775 roles directly and 6,408 indirectly linked to the sector.
