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December checks in as record at Melbourne Airport
Melbourne Airport had its busiest month on record in December, with 3,421,195 passengers travelling through its terminals. The airport also set a new monthly record for the number of international flights handled, with 5,596 flights operated in international terminals, carrying a total of 1,222,570 passengers. This includes services from new airlines to the airport like Delta Air Lines, Hong Kong Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines, which launched their services to the airport for the first time in December. Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos confirmed Finnair, Air Asia Indonesia and Maldivian Airlines would launch flights to Melbourne in 2026. “This extra capacity is fantastic for consumers but also underscores the need for the investments we are making in our third runway, our terminals and our road network,” he said. International passenger numbers rose 6.5% year-over-year to 1,222,570 while domestic passenger numbers rose 4.9% to 2,198,625. More than 1,000 additional domestic services were added by Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar compared to the 2024 schedule. Parashos said passenger numbers were boosted by large events during the month and the airport was expecting another busy month in Janu
Australia
Webjet takes off on bid amid mixed performance
Webjet shares jumped 17.9% by 12:35 pm AEDT (1:35 am GMT) after it received a takeover bid from a competitor and reported mixed results for the first half of the 2026 financial year (FY26). The online travel agency said in an ASX announcement it had received a non-binding and indicative offer from Helloworld Travel for the 82.73% of the shares it did not already own by way of a scheme of arrangement at A$0.90 cash (US58.85 cents) per share. Webjet said its Board had agreed to provide Helloworld with an opportunity to conduct due diligence, but there was no certainty that the proposal would result in a binding offer or a completed transaction. Helloworld said the proposal represented a premium of: 31% to Webjet’s undisturbed closing share price of 68.5 cents on 7 May54% to the one-month volume weighted average price, 58 cents to 7 May, and19% to Webjet’s closing price of 75.5 cents on 18 November. “Further, we believe that Helloworld and Webjet are logical partners and that a combination provides a strong platform for both companies to achieve their long-term strategic objectives,” Helloworld Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Andrew Burnes said in an ASX announcement. Webjet also announced that statutory net
Australia
Australians turn their back on US travel, ABS data shows
Australian travellers have steered away from the United States, as Japan overtakes it as the third most popular country for Aussies to travel to. The U.S. is now the fourth most popular destination, falling 25% lower than 10 years becoming the only country top 10 to fall below 2014-15 volumes according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. More restrictive U.S. trade and entry policies after U.S. President Donald Trump’s taking office in January this year could be dampening Australians’ want to visit the country. In May, the Department of Foreign Affairs toughened travel advice three times in just over a month in response to Trump’s border control, despite not changing the country's overall rating from green. This comes as China becomes the fifth most popular destination, despite SmartTraveller recommending holidaymakers “exercise a high degree of caution”. After the downfall in American travel, Flight Centre reported a reduced profit forecast as a result of Australians travelling closer to home, despite 3 in 5 Australians holidaying overseas. “This volatility temporarily disrupted traditional travel and booking patterns during Flight Centre’s peak trading period as some customers either booked closer-to-home o
Australia
ACCC: Webjet to pay $9m for misleading flight prices
Webjet has been ordered to pay A$9 million in the Federal Court after advertising misleading or false flight prices and booking confirmations. In the case brought on by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) the flight booking site admitted to making false or misleading statements regarding airfares that excluded compulsory fees between 2018 and 2023. The company also admitted to making false or misleading booking confirmations for 118 consumers for flight bookings that weren’t actually confirmed between 2019 and 2024. Webjet later asked for additional payments of up to A$2,210 from consumers to complete the booking before refunding them. The case was brought to the ACCC’s attention after a consumer complained that airfares advertised as “from $18” turned out to be triple the price once compulsory fees were added on. “We took this case because we considered that Webjet used misleading pricing by excluding or not adequately disclosing compulsory fees in its ads,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said. “Seeking to lure in customers with prices that don’t tell the whole story is a serious breach of the Australian Consumer Law.” The compulsory fees consisted of "Webjet servicing fees” and “book price
Australia
Amex launches campaign to celebrate hometown travel
American Express is launching a new social media campaign to encourage more people to visit local Australian businesses when travelling. From July, American Express will team up with popular travel and lifestyle creator Tyson Mayr for the “Discover Amex” campaign that is estimated to reach more than 450,000 people on social media channels. The campaign aims to represent local authentic experiences. According to the American Express 2025 Global Trends Report, 81% of Australians found supporting local businesses important when travelling. “Small businesses are the heartbeat of so many Australian towns, helping build vibrant communities and creating amazing, unique experiences,” Vice President & General Manager Global Merchant Services Australia & New Zealand at American Express Robert Tedesco said. “With more than 2.5 million small businesses across the country, supporting them means backing local jobs, tourism and the communities they help sustain. “We’re proud to be shining a light on some of these incredible businesses and the passionate people behind them.” This comes as American Express continues to expand its acceptance footprint across Australia, with the company adding over 1.3 million places across the cou

Australia
NSW lodging recognised for dark sky tourism
A New South Wales lodging is the first in Australia to be recognised for its clear night skies, as ecotourism’s popularity grows. Kestrel Nest EcoHut, located on Highfield Farm and Woodland in the eastern Riverina area, has been recognised by DarkSky International for its clear skies and lack of light pollution. The hut offers an off-grid accommodation experience for up to four people. “In terms of halving emissions and reaching net zero, we are 26 years ahead of the game here at Highfield Farm and Woodland. In 2024 we were assessed as not only being net zero across all our operations [including Kestrel Nest EcoHut] but capturing more emissions than we produce,” said Highfield Farm and Woodland. Meals at the eco-hut include Highfield Farm’s own produce, and guests can access stargazing hammocks and an outdoor bath. While Kestrel Nest is Australia’s only certified Dark Sky accommodation, South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland host Dark Sky parks and wilderness sanctuaries. DarkSky International has recognised more than 200 sites worldwide, covering more than 160,000 square kilometres of land. The eco-hut is also one of just two certified temporary accommodation locations in the Southern Hemisphere, alongsid
Australia
WA tourism ad under fire for using east coast creatives
A taxpayer-funded Western Australian tourism ad campaign has come under fire for using creatives from the east coast of Australia. Tourism WA is working on the next phase of its ‘Walking On A Dream’ campaign, aimed at selling the state as a premium holiday destination to travellers at home and abroad. However, the campaign has been scrutinised for using a production company on the east coast of Australia. A spokesperson told ABC Radio Perth that while local company The Brand Agency has been chosen to lead development and production for the next stage of the campaign, an east coast-based director and production company will be used for part of the work. The spokesperson said more than 50 suppliers, including some from WA, had been assessed. "Unfortunately, while a local production company and director were shortlisted, the cost identified was prohibitively higher than the chosen option," the spokesperson told ABC Radio Perth. They also explained that the shoot will use a 70% Western Australian crew and showcase many WA tourism operators. The move has received criticism from all sides of WA politics. WA Premier Roger Cook said it was a disappointing result. "We know that in WA we've got some great producti
Australia
Airbnb reveals a boom in Australian sport tourism
Airbnb statistics show that "sports tourism" is booming in Australia. Research from YouGov shows that 70% of Australians said they would travel domestically to spectate or participate in a sporting event. “Millennials are leading the pack with 78% having travelled for sport in the past six months, while Gen Z are particularly keen on following the Lions rugby tour,” Airbnb country manager for Australia and New Zealand, Susan Wheeldon said. Around two-thirds of New South Wales residents plan to travel for sport, compared to 61% of Queenslanders and 58% of Victorians. Overall, 59% of Australians have travelled or plan to travel before the end of the year. YouGov says Sydney is the top destination for sporting events, closely followed by Melbourne. According to the data, Australians are willing to spend an average of A$108 per night on accommodation, generating a ripple effect that boosts local economies. “Group bookings are particularly popular with people opting to stay together for events such as the men’s Ashes in Brisbane,” Wheeldon said. “Groups then spend money [in] local cafes, pubs and restaurants and so it’s the community who reaps the benefits while fans save money by splitting the cost of a large prop
Australia
Australians are going over budget on holidays
Despite the rising cost of living, many Australians still overspend on their holidays by over A$10,000. According to Compare the Market research, 40.4% of Australians reported overspending on their last holiday by an average of $11,518 on their last holiday. Younger Australians are the most likely to overspend, with 54% of 18-24-year-olds overspending compared to 29% of those aged 65 or older. Young Australians are also more likely to travel overseas, with 44.2% wanting to travel internationally compared to 23% wanting to travel domestically. In comparison, 34.2% of all Australians plan on travelling internationally in the next 12 months, while 32.6% plan to travel domestically, 15.6% plan to not travel at all and 17.6% are unsure. Of those budgeting for a holiday, Australians planned to set aside $12,758 for travels on average. In comparison, Americans had an average budget of $26,784 and Canadians had a budget of $17.158. In Australia, those from the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the ACT had the largest budgets of $20,813, and South Australians had the smallest average budget of $9,710. Many Australians have been adjusting their travel plans to save money, with 33.2% planning to travel less frequently