New research released today from Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies, highlights the key decision factors for Aussie travellers when booking holiday homes. Now in its third year, the Booking.com Holiday Home Outlook Report: The Design Edition surveyed over 1,000 Australian holiday seekers in August 2024.
This year’s report sees top experts weighing in on the findings; from real estate property guru Andrew Winter, Interior Designer and host of Australia’s Best Home Brie Turton, and Interiors Addict, Jen Bishop. The report unpacks the booking decision making process, from general factors through to more aesthetic preferences. The report uncovers what’s unique about holiday home preferences across generations of Australians.
Continued strong domestic demand for homes
There’s an ongoing strong demand for holiday homes this summer, with 75% of Australians (the equivalent of 14.9 million people) saying they intend to choose this accommodation type when taking a domestic trip. Three in ten (31%) reveal that they stay in holiday homes regularly, including 10% indicating they always stay in a holiday home. A majority of travellers (76%) say that they use holiday homes as a base to explore the surrounding destinations, with almost a quarter (24%) booking a holiday home with the intention to spend most of their time inside the property itself.
It’s what’s on the inside that counts the most
A majority of travellers (85%) say they make a booking based on the interiors of a home, vs its exterior (15%). The report looked at key elements within home interiors, including styles (overall interior design of the home) and features (what’s actually inside).
Top 5 interior design styles ranked for holiday homes were:
- Modern (68%)
- Farmhouse (62%)
- Rustic (56%)
- Mediterranean (55%)
- Craftsman (48%)
In terms of features, ‘cosy and inviting’ topped the list for the most appealing interiors for most travellers (75%), followed by ‘natural and organic elements’ (74%) and ‘minimalist design’ (69%). Of interior home styles, two-thirds of travellers (68%) indicated that they are most likely to book a modern home that ‘boasts clean lines and open spaces’.
Brie Turton, Interior designer and host of Australia’s Best Home said, “As highlighted through Booking.com’s research, we are seeing holiday goers prioritising contemporary, bright spaces that are rich in natural materials and tactile, livable textures.
It’s no surprise that this clean interiors aesthetic is popular as more often than not we are looking for homes that showcase the landscape, aspect or coastline of the location.
Visually-stimulating spaces of maximalism – rich patterns, colours, layering and textures that draw the eye inwards contrast with how Aussies want to experience a Holiday.”
The research also found colour is an important factor for travellers when booking (71%).
Jen Bishop, founder of Interiors Addict shares exactly which hues will be trending over the year ahead:
“2025 will see a wash of warm tones ranging from sunny to moody. Leading trend forecasters* have predicted that red will make a comeback in deep, muddy shades like ‘Cherry Lacquer’. ‘Celestial Yellow’ will become increasingly popular to signify restoration and reassurance, both in spaces as well as furnishings. Palettes featuring ‘Retro Blue’ will exude a wistful warmth and sentimentality as we pursue a presence of nostalgia, whether through features or in the smaller details.”
Don’t judge a home by its cover
Colour isn’t just important for interiors, as over half of travellers (51%) also indicated a home’s exterior palette is important when making a booking. The report also looked at layout (living spaces), architectural style and types of holiday homes.
As a nation that loves the outdoors, it’s no surprise that travellers are drawn to outdoor living spaces and layouts. A majority (77%) stated the number one reason they would book a holiday home over another is if it had better outdoor living spaces such as a terrace, balcony or courtyard.
Top 5 exterior design layouts ranked for holiday homes were:
- Outdoor living spaces, such as a terrace, balcony or courtyard (77%)
- Natural light optimisation through skylights or strategically placed windows (70%)
- Large windows or glass walls offering panoramic views (64%)
- Open plan living (63%)
- Architectural harmony with the surrounding natural environment (48%)
Australiana extends to preferred exterior design styles, with ‘Contemporary Australian’ homes (47%), followed by the classic ‘Queenslander’ (40%) and ‘20th-Century Modern’ (39%) as the most appealing architectural styles. In terms of home types, the quintessential Aussie ‘beach house’ remains the most desirable holiday home for the second year in a row for half of travellers (50%), followed by ‘country cottages’ (37%) and ‘city apartments’ (35%).
Nostalgia and homes that inspire
Across all ages, travellers are looking for nostalgic stays, with over half of Gen Z (59%) saying they are most interested in booking a 2000s style home, and over a third of Boomers (37%) are most interested in booking a 70’s style home. The 80s were the least favourite decade of home styles at just 13% preference across all ages. Younger travellers are more likely to embrace modern amenities, with Gen Z (42%) and Millennials (44%) ranking smart home tech in their top 5 property features, compared to Boomers (25%).
Travellers are bringing back more than just memories from holidays, with a majority (73%) saying they look for and gain inspiration for their own home from what they have seen in properties they have stayed in. Interestingly, this was more the case for men compared to women (29% vs 19%).
“We understand that many elements need to come together to create a seamless holiday home experience; and we hope that this report provides insight into travellers’ ideal bookings, whilst engendering positive discussions about alternative accommodations – a sector that plays an important role within Australia’s tourism landscape.
These findings present an opportunity for owners to learn more about why Aussies book homes, and what’s popular for their next holiday. Booking.com’s overarching aim is to provide customers with the widest choice and diversity of great stays all in one place. Of the 29 million total reported listings on Booking.com, we are proud that more than 7.8 million listings are homes” said Todd Lacey, Regional Manager Oceania, at Booking.com.
