Australian corporates are heading further north this holiday season as they combine business with leisure, family and friends. Brisbane is on track to be the top destination in 2024, with 20 per cent more bookings than last year’s top spot, Melbourne.

The findings come from Corporate Traveller, which compared air, car, rail and hotel bookings by its corporate customers to 35 of Australia’s major holiday hotspots (in the table below) from 15 December to 26 January in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Newcastle remains the top NSW destination outside Sydney

Newcastle grew in popularity as a holiday destination over the two years. This upcoming holiday season, it has already attracted 124 per cent more bookings than Ballina, 92 per cent more than Coffs Harbour, and 137 per cent more than Port Macquarie. Newcastle also dominated NSW’s regional destinations last holiday season, attracting 101 per cent more bookings than Ballina, 101 per cent more than Coffs Harbour and 132 per cent more than Port Macquarie.

Tom Walley, Corporate Traveller’s Global Managing Director, says: “There are plenty of places to visit within a short drive from our capital cities, so it makes sense that many corporate travellers will base themselves in the city where their business, family and friends are likely to be, while still enjoying the spoils of nearby beaches and mountains in their downtime. Brisbane has long held a reputation of being the more relaxed capital, like a big country town, but it has a burgeoning population and a growing number of restaurants, cafes and cultural offerings. This, along with its exceptional weather compared with extended heatwaves in Sydney and high rainfall in Melbourne at the moment, has possibly steered more people toward Brisbane this holiday season.”