New pockets of value open for Aussie tourists

News.com.au

28-04-2025

With wet winter weather and seasonal depression setting in, it's an established phenomenon to make the annual trip over to Europe for a holiday getaway. But with international markets recalibrating after Trump's tariffs, new opportunities are opening up for Aussie holiday-makers to get the most bang for their buck this holiday season.
The findings come from a Wise bank savings guide and Wise Australia spokesperson Anhar Khanba said that even though the classic hotspots would likely be as expensive as ever, more reasonable options were appearing for savvy Aussies.
'The Euro, USD and GBP have definitely taken quite a significant hit against the Aussie dollar, which means that our money is not going that far when we're heading over to Euro summer for June,' Ms Khanba told news.com.au.
At the time of writing this, 1 AUD is buying .55 EURO, .64 USD and .48 GBP.
Ms Khanba said countries like Portugal, the Greek mainland and Spain outside of the major cities like Barcelona and Madrid could offer less expensive alternatives to tourist hotspots.
'Where it's really expensive is your usual suspects like France, Italy, those are really expensive European and popular destinations that will continue to command really high prices for Aussies when it comes to locations like Venice, the French Riviera or Rome,' she explained.
'And then what's really interesting is Eastern Europe, so eurozone members in Eastern Europe are definitely much cheaper destinations and they can provide some really cool holidays and value for Australian travellers that are travelling in peak during that July kind of season.'
Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania are among the Eastern European countries offering best bang for buck.
According to the latest Finder research, over two-thirds of Australian adults – more than 14 million people – are planning to travel this year, with one in seven looking for a better value destination to save money.
Outside of Europe, Wise offered six high value alternatives:
Vietnam: Strong AUD purchasing power, affordable accommodation and transport options. Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long Bay, and Hoi An will continue to bring good value.
Indonesia (especially Bali): The Aussie favourite still gives excellent value with affordable budget and mid-range accommodation options. Cheap food and drink and cultural activities make this a great family-friendly destination.
Thailand: Don't be put off by the White Lotus hype, Thailand still offers great value with street food, mid-range hotels, and reasonable island hopping boat tours.
Sri Lanka: Offers a similar value proposition to the Southeast Asian destinations but with its own unique cultural and natural attractions including a great surfing scene, Aussies can get great bang for their buck here.
Turkiye: For those looking for the bucket list hot air balloon experience and cultural immersion, the weaker Lira makes this a no-brainer.
Colombia: Growing in popularity with tourists including Aussies, Colombia's street food, affordable local transport and accommodation make this South American country an up-and-coming contender for a great value destination.
Sydney-based traveller Angus Davis had planned on heading to Europe this year but the cost of living crisis combined with the weak Aussie dollar meant he had to reconsider.
'I'm renting at the moment and to drop thousands of dollars on flights to Europe as well as accommodation is just unfeasible,' the 24-year-old said.
'[And] because of the long distance I feel like you need to take at least a few weeks to make it worth your while.
'It's much easier to think about doing somewhere like Thailand or Bali for a week or two.'
According to Finder, South East Asia is at the top of plenty of people's wish list this year – with 15 per cent of Aussies keen to visit countries in that region including Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore.