The cheapest places holidaymakers have been enjoying this year have been revealed.
Cebu City in the Philippines and Okinawa in Japan both have average daily accommodation rates under $120, Expedia says, making them among the cheapest anywhere.
That means you can get a week’s hotel in one of the two hotspots for under $1000.
READ MORE: The surprising state at the top of everyone’s summer travel plans
Philippine Airlines flies from multiple Aussie cities. Bosses of the airline call Boracay, in the country’s centre, “one of the Philippines’ most spectacular island escapes”.
They also hail the island’s affordability, saying buying fresh fish and having it cooked in front of you to taking surfing lessons without spending too much.
The five best hidden gems in the Philippines to explore
Jetstar is another carrier that flies to Cebu, specifically from Brisbane.
“Throughout the year, value for money remained top of mind for travellers, but they were looking further afield for their holiday destinations which has put the likes of Cebu in the Philippines on the radar for affordability,” Expedia Travel Expert, Sarah King says.
The Philippines, with its busy cities and tropical islands, is appearing on all the trending lists for next year, too.
READ MORE: Five reasons why the Philippines should be your next family holiday
Data has already showed a 15 per cent increase in flights booked for the first half of 2026.
Meanwhile, Okinawa the tropical area of Japan, is becoming increasingly popular as Aussies crave a quieter alternative to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
Expedia, which launched its ‘wrapped’ data in a travel take on music site Spotify’s Wrapped, has already named Okinawa as the second hottest spot to go next year.
Meanwhile, Thailand has become as much of a holiday staple as Bali for Aussies.
The area of Surat Thani, in Southern Thailand, has been revealed as the biggest ‘up and coming’ beach spot by Expedia.
READ MORE: Cabin crew reveal the most annoying things passengers do
Searches for the pristine spot are up 95 per cent year on year.
The area is dubbed the “province of a thousand islands” by tourism bosses.
The rapid interest in Surat Thani might also be because its a good base to head to the popular Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and the Mu Koh Ang Thong Marine National Park which are all close by.
The White Lotus TV show filmed in Thailand, has already boosted tourism to the islands.
But folk also want a quieter spot to enjoy, with Sarah calling it an “underrated city”.
In news closer to home, Canberra has been named the most affordable Aussie city to stay, with average daily rates under $200.
According to Airbnb data, the Australian Capital Territory has seen a huge over 50 per cent increase in searches this year alone compared to 2024.
The capital has also become somewhat of a hot destination at the changing of the seasons, with both spring and autumn blooms drawing crowds.
While Canberra has taken most affordable stays, it didn’t win most searched city.
That mantle belonged to New York, Expedia revealed.
Numbers were up ten percent, despite issues with US travel.
As for Expedia’s most searched for destinations in the rest of the world.
For Asia it was Tokyo while London came out top in Europe.
The best campsites around Australia for this summer
The growing popularity of Marrakesh made it top of the list in Africa.
In Latin America and the Caribbean the popular resort of Cancun topped the charts.
READ MORE: ‘Easy and more pleasant’ alternative to London’s famous tube
READ MORE: ‘My first cruise set the bar so high I’m not sure I can ever cruise again’
And for the Oceania area, Sydney was on top.
READ MORE: How to have a ‘levelled up’ doggie staycation in Sydney
As for the destination tagged ‘most up and coming’ Expedia scored Matera in Italy top.
Searches were up over 200 per cent on last year.
Matera is best known for its ancient town, Sassi di Matera which provided the backdrop for car chase scenes at the start of the 2021 James Bond Film No Time to Die.
