Half of Australian travellers say they're likely to book a playful, nostalgia-fuelled escape in 2027, according to Expedia and Stayz's Unpack '27 report, which draws on search data, surveys and social listening to map where the country's travellers are heading next.

The headline trend, dubbed "Un-Adulting", is exactly what it sounds like: adults booking trips built around play rather than responsibility. The motivations are telling — 67 per cent want a genuinely carefree day, 56 per cent are escaping everyday duties, and 40 per cent want to relive childhood memories. Suggested experiences run from Tokyo Disneyland and the Gold Coast's Dreamworld to Chicago's Color Factory and Xcaret in Mexico. The takeaway is that theme parks and playful add-ons aren't just for families travelling with kids — they're increasingly sold to couples and friend groups too.

Hobbies are another big driver. Among Aussies who've stayed in holiday rentals, 88 per cent said they'd consider a trip built around a personal interest, whether that's photography retreats, birdwatching, antiquing, craft weekends or board-game gatherings. Nearly a third said hobbies now influence their travel choices more than they did five years ago, and the top motivation — cited by 51 per cent — was spending time with like-minded people. That shifts what matters in accommodation: a birdwatcher cares about nearby habitat, not restaurant proximity, while photographers want dawn access to locations.

Screens keep steering trips as well. Nearly one in five Australian travellers has booked a destination after seeing it in a film or TV show, and almost half are already researching destinations tied to unreleased productions — rising to 57 per cent among Gen Z and Millennials. Expedia expects interest around The White Lotus, Emily in Paris, Heated Rivalry and a Miami Vice reboot, with social mentions linking Miami to travel up 64 per cent year on year.

Domestically, the coast isn't the only drawcard anymore. Stayz recorded search jumps of 55 per cent for Canberra, 45 per cent for Crackenback in NSW and 40 per cent for Victoria's Mount Hotham, with Nannup in WA and the Blue Mountains also climbing. Around 57 per cent of surveyed holiday-rental users had taken a non-coastal holiday in the past year, citing local culture, food and art as the main pulls — plus affordability.

On the global destinations-to-watch list, South Lake Tahoe leads with flight and accommodation searches up 195 per cent, followed by Japan's Hyogo prefecture at 95 per cent. Australia's only entry is The Tweed in northern NSW, up 35 per cent, sitting alongside Punta del Este, Sedona, Busan, Holbox, Perugia, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Chichester.

For anyone planning a 2027 trip, the useful thread here is simple: the most satisfying trips next year are likely to be the ones built around something you already love — a show, a hobby, a game, or plain permission to be a big kid for a weekend.

Story via Karryon.