Currently, instability in some areas, especially the Middle East, where many large air transshipment hubs such as Dubai or Doha are concentrated, has made transcontinental travel more difficult. Many tourists do not cancel their travel plans but choose to change destinations, prioritizing places that do not require complicated transit or have more reasonable costs.
Ms. Katrina Barry - CEO of Webjet Group - said that Australian travel demand is still very high, but they are adapting to global instability by choosing destinations that do not require transit through the Middle East (or avoiding the rising cost of flying to Europe through Asia).
According to her, customers' "pivot" travel plans may open up opportunities to access more competitive prices as well as completely new experiences in nearby destinations.
The trend of the Australian market has led to a strong shift of tourists to the Asian region, which has advantages in distance, cost and diversity of experiences. In the list of outstanding destinations in 2026, Vietnam ranks second right after Japan, becoming one of the 8 most attractive options for Australian tourists.
Chris Malina, General Director in charge of flights and yachts at Luxury Escapes, advises tourists to choose Vietnam, especially Central Vietnam. Because, this is a very valuable destination, with warm weather, affordable prices and direct flights from Australia.
We are witnessing strong growth for the Vietnamese market - demand has increased by more than 40% compared to the same period last year, and not to mention the impacts from the Middle East situation," he said.
Data from the travel booking platform Webjet based in Australia also reflects this trend, showing that air ticket bookings to Ho Chi Minh City have increased by 43%. These are figures showing that Vietnam is not only being noticed but is actually becoming an alternative option in international journeys.
In the first 3 months of the year, the Australian market sent about 130,000 visitors to Vietnam, an increase of 15% compared to the same period last year. In which, Australia is the main market with 120,000 visitors, an increase of 14.6%.
Vietnam is not the only destination benefiting from this trend. The Philippines is being seen as a "low-cost version" for Australian tourists who want to experience a Mediterranean-like beach.
Sri Lanka attracts with diverse cultural and natural experiences, while Maldives continues to maintain its high-class resort status. In other regions, Peru, South Africa or Queensland (Australia) have also emerged as new alternatives.
