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Recent Booking.com search data shares where Kiwis are planning to spend their King’s Birthday and early winter escapes in 2025—and whether it’s crisp alpine air or tropical getaways, the results show a nation eager to explore.
Between April 29 and May 6, Booking.com tracked traveller interest for check-in dates between June 1–7 2025. The top search destinations paint a clear picture of this season’s most sought after spots.
In the combined domestic and international rankings, Auckland held strong in first place, followed by Queenstown, and the ever-popular Gold Coast. Rounding out the top five were Christchurch and Rotorua (which rose one place from previous rankings)
For those staying closer to home, the top domestic destinations show a classic winter appeal: Queenstown, Christchurch, and Rotorua continue to be in high demand, with a few unexpected rises in certain regions.
The domestic top 10 are: Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch, Rotorua (+1) Wellington, Taupo, Dunedin, Tauranga (+3) Lake Tekapo (+3) Hamner Springs
Both Tauranga and Lake Tekapo have seen “almost double growth” in search interest. For both, Kiwis are looking to escape winter’s chill in comfort.
International escapes
While Australia remains a winter escape favourite—Gold Coast, Sydney, and Melbourne all place in the top five for international searches—some surprise destinations showed massive jumps.
Ho Chi Minh City rocketed up the ranks by 17 places, while Apia in Samoa jumped 12 places, both recording over double growth in interest. This suggests that Kiwi travellers are increasingly considering Southeast Asia and the South Pacific for short-haul tropical breaks.
The top 5 international searches are: Gold Coast, Sydney, Rarotonga, Tokyo, Melbourne.
Other mentions include Nadi (Fiji), Seminyak, Bangkok, and Ubud—all of which did well in the rankings.
In the combined rankings, these regions jumped up a few spots from previous years. Tauranga: Up 8 spots, Lake Tekapo up 8 spots, Nadi up 3 spots, Seminyak and Bangkok, each up 2 spots.
Hanmer Springs, Taupo, and Dunedin continue to hold their winter charm.
The bottom line? Kiwis are mixing it up. Classic ski and spa towns remain favourites, but there’s clearly rising interest in lesser-visited regions and for sunny destinations.
