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As Labour Weekend approaches, Kiwis are gearing up for their first major holiday break since winter — and new Booking.com data shows where they’re planning to go.
According to Booking.com’s Labour Day 2025 search insights, the top five domestic destinations remain unchanged, with Auckland, Queenstown, Rotorua, Christchurch and Taupō leading the list.
However, strong year-on-year increases reveal new momentum across the country, with searches for Christchurch up 50 per cent, Napier up 45 per cent, and Hamilton and Auckland both up 40 per cent.
For travellers chasing warmth and waves, the Bay of Plenty continues to shine. Napier and Tauranga are among the biggest risers, up 45 and 25 per cent respectively, as travellers look to enjoy spring weather, coastal walks and wineries.
In the South Island, alpine favourites remain steady. Christchurch is one of the fastest climbers with searches up 50 per cent, while Queenstown and Rotorua hold firm in the top three.
Internationally, Asia has surged in popularity for the long weekend, with four of the top 10 most searched destinations in the region — Tokyo, Bangkok, Bali and Singapore. The results reflect a growing preference for culturally rich, food-driven getaways close to home.
Bali’s Seminyak remains a firm favourite, while searches for Tokyo are up 45 per cent. The findings align with Booking.com’s broader travel trends, which show 74 per cent of travellers are influenced by food when choosing destinations, and 71 per cent have selected a destination specifically to visit a restaurant.
| Rank | Destination | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | +40 per cent |
| 2 | Queenstown | +25 per cent |
| 3 | Rotorua | +30 per cent |
| 4 | Christchurch | +50 per cent |
| 5 | Taupō | — |
| 6 | Wellington | — |
| 7 | Napier | +45 per cent |
| 8 | Hamilton | +40 per cent |
| 9 | Tauranga | +25 per cent |
| 10 | Mount Maunganui | — |
| Rank | Destination | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gold Coast, Australia | — |
| 2 | Rarotonga, Cook Islands | +30 per cent |
| 3 | Tokyo, Japan | +45 per cent |
| 4 | Sydney, Australia | — |
| 5 | Melbourne, Australia | +35 per cent |
| 6 | Seminyak, Indonesia | — |
| 7 | Singapore | — |
| 8 | Nadi, Fiji | — |
| 9 | Brisbane, Australia | — |
| 10 | Bangkok, Thailand | +35 per cent |
Search sessions were recorded between 1 and 30 September 2025, with check-in dates from October 24-28. Year-on-year changes are compared with the same period in 2024.
