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For holiday-starved Aussies, Airbnb Declares 2026 the Year of ‘Weekending’

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Key Takeaways

  • Three in four working Aussies aren’t taking regular holidays with nearly 90 percent saying they find it difficult to regularly take time away from work
  • Nearly 80 percent of travellers find short trips less pressured and more enjoyable than long breaks
  • Eight in ten report that short trips help them switch off from the daily grind more quickly than long trips
Photo credit Rachel Doulson

Key Takeaways

  • Three in four working Aussies aren’t taking regular holidays with nearly 90 percent saying they find it difficult to regularly take time away from work
  • Nearly 80 percent of travellers find short trips less pressured and more enjoyable than long breaks
  • Eight in ten report that short trips help them switch off from the daily grind more quickly than long trips

Australians love a holiday, but let’s be honest, between jam-packed calendars, wallet woes, and annual leave you never quite get around to using, most of us are running on empty while dreaming of a quick escape. 

New Airbnb research1 backs this up, revealing that three in four workers (76 percent) don’t take regular holidays, while nearly 90 percent find it difficult to take time away from work. Without quality rest and relaxation, burn-out could be brooding across the nation and Airbnb has the answer; Weekending.

Short trips are filling Australia’s holiday gap 

Weekending is the art of the short getaway. Think early knock-offs turned into spontaneous road trips, waking up somewhere new on Saturday, and making it home by Sunday or Monday feeling genuinely refreshed (not just pretending). The data speaks for itself: 

  • Nearly 80 percent of Australians find short trips less pressured and more enjoyable than long breaks
  • Eight in ten report that short trips help them switch off from the daily grind more quickly than long trips
  • Nearly 70 percent of Aussie travellers say they would like to be more spontaneous with future travel, something that weekend breaks can easily offer 

Expert Psychologist Sabina Read shares the science behind it: “Living repetitive cycles of work and family life without taking regular breaks can cause temporal compression, or a sense that your life is speeding up as days blend together, impacting our mental and emotional wellbeing. Two to four days of novel experience is enough to shift your brain back into active memory making, increasing levels of life satisfaction and fulfilment. 

“The stress of daily life can also lead to burnout. While we can’t always take extended time away from work to shut off, short trips offer enough distance from routine to lower cortisol, the hormone that causes stress, helping to keep burnout at bay. Taking regular short trips is key for long-term benefits.” 

Short trips work better for time-poor families  

For parents, the juggle is even more real, with 85% saying something always gets in the way of taking a break, and more than half citing cost as the biggest challenge of travelling. With lengthy holidays proving unforgiving on parents’ brains and bank accounts, Weekending could be the answer, given 80 percent of those surveyed saying short trips make them feel more present and connected with the people they travel with.

“Travelling with loved ones, even if only for a short period, creates richer memories. By combining novel experiences with in-person bonding we achieve stronger memory formation, all while reinforcing family connections that can last a lifetime,” says Sabina.

Ditch the routine (just for a bit!) and watch your kids thrive. Sabina adds, “When children see their parents relaxed and having fun outside of the usual environment, it builds confidence, resilience, and trust. Get the kids involved, packing, cooking, and sharing what they’re excited about. After all, those memories are the real souvenirs.”

With nearly seven in ten Aussies wanting to be more spontaneous with future travel, Weekending suggests that instead of waiting for the ideal time for an extended holiday, Australians should embrace the spontaneity that’s right in front of them, making the most of a humble weekend and even adding a day or two to chip away at the unused leave that many Australians have.

Australians don’t need to go far to truly switch off 

Feeling like you’ve truly escaped the daily grind is simpler than you might think, with 47% of working Australians reporting that a short two-to-three-hour drive is enough to switch off,  making local getaways just as effective for rest and relaxation as stints abroad.  Regional towns and coastal communities are also welcoming Weekending travellers who can bring an economic boost outside of traditional peak holiday periods. And for those who are using their annual leave to add a couple of days to either side of their weekend getaway, it’s a welcome bonus for local businesses.

Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb’s Country Manager for Australia, sums it up, “Aussies don’t want travel to feel like hard work. Weekending is about making it easier to get away, even for a night or two. Less planning, less pressure, and more time to recharge, reconnect with loved ones and make lifelong memories. 

“It’s also a great way for those who are considering hosting to help offset the cost of their own Weekending travel. And with a co-host, you can travel while someone else helps manage your listing for you, giving you more time to enjoy your weekend adventures.

“Weekend travellers also bring new energy to local communities. Weekenders keep cafés busy and markets buzzing throughout the year. It’s great for locals, and it gives visitors a real feel for what makes an area special.”

To help travellers get started, Airbnb has created a guide to the best regions for Weekending in each state, alongside each area’s top attractions which can be found below. 

Sabina Read – About

Sabina Read is a psychologist, speaker, broadcaster, podcast host and self-described life sherpa who works with organisations, leaders, groups and individuals to help them navigate change, stress, relationships, leadership, mental health and wellbeing. With a rare ability to blend evidence-based psychology with warmth, humour and real-world insight, Sabina helps people to ultimately, in her words, human better. 

She has been the Resident Psychologist on Melbourne’s top-rating Radio 3AW Afternoons for 14 years, is co-host of the Human Cogs Podcast, and hosts The Separation Guide Podcast. She also serves as Resident Psychologist at TMRW, a progressive health platform combining cutting-edge diagnostics, AI and clinical expertise to translate complexity into clarity.

Her work is underpinned by a strong commitment to giving back, including her roles as a Board Member of The Reach Foundation and a mentor with Mentor Walks. 

Weekending Inspiration

New South Wales 

Poklbin

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Callala

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Victoria

Warrnambool

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Inverloch

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Queensland

Maleny 

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North Stradbroke Island

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South Australia 

Tanunda

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Port Willunga

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Western Australia

Mandurah

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Tasmania

Penguin

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Bicheno 

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1 All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov. The total sample size was 1030 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 8th – 11th January 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighed and are representative of all Australian adults (aged 18+).

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests into their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays, experiences, and services that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

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