Aussies and Kiwis are renowned for being some of the happiest, friendliest and most welcoming people in the world.
In fact, according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s 2018 World Happiness Report which ranks 156 countries by happiness levels based on factors such as life expectancy and social support, Australia and New Zealand rank amongst the top 10 happiest places on Earth (placed 10th and 8th respectively).
And with more than 137,000 Airbnb listings in Australia and more than 37,000 listings in New Zealand, travellers on the home sharing platform have noticed. Over the last year, the number of Airbnb guests travelling to Australia has increased by 65% year-on-year and number of guests travelling to New Zealand has increased by 112%.
So where should you plan to visit for your next trip down under and across the ditch?
Airbnb has you covered, releasing its 2018 Hospitality Index and unveiling the most hospitable destinations across Australia and New Zealand for local and international travellers. The study is based on the number of 5 star reviews in locations with over 1000 trips taken in the last 12 months.
In Australia, regional locations across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria dominate the top 10 most hospitable destinations, while Hobart, Canberra and Adelaide rank in the top three amongst the major capital cities.
Most hospitable destinations in Australia
- Tamborine Mountain, Queensland
- Berry, New South Wales
- Nambour, Queensland
- Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales
- Lismore, New South Wales
- Woolgoolga, New South Wales
- Sawtell, New South Wales
- Sunbury, Victoria
- Bowral, New South Wales
- Castlemaine, Victoria
Most hospitable capital cities in Australia
- Hobart, Tasmania
- Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
- Adelaide, South Australia
- Brisbane, Queensland
- Darwin, Northern Territory
In New Zealand, Matamata, one of the filming locations for Lord of the Rings, takes out the top spot of most hospitable destinations, followed closely by Cambridge and Kerikeri, while Waikato is the highest ranked region in New Zealand.
Most hospitable destinations in New Zealand
- Matamata, Waikato Region
- Cambridge, Waikato Region
- Kerikeri, Northland Region
- Richmond, Tasman Region
- Timaru, Canterbury
- Blenheim, Marlborough
- Picton, Marlborough
- Napier, Hawke’s Bay
- Hastings, Hawke’s Bay
- Coromandel, Waikato Region
Most hospitable regions in New Zealand
- Waikato Region
- Hawke’s Bay Region
- Marlborough Region
- Northland Region
- Canterbury Region
“Australia and New Zealand are exciting growth areas for Airbnb as more people take the opportunity to share their homes and world class hospitality by welcoming travellers from around the world. It’s no surprise that Australian and New Zealand Airbnb hosts are some of the highest rated in the world, as outstanding hospitality is engrained in our culture. Airbnb provides elastic supply of accommodation outside traditional tourism hotspots and guests are taking up the opportunity to live like locals, travelling to and staying in regional destinations and rating those experiences highly.”
Sam McDonagh, Australia and New Zealand, Country Manager, Airbnb
*The study is based on the number of 5 star reviews in locations with over 1000 trips taken in the last 12 months.