Australians increasingly on lookout for pet-friendly destinations when booking holidays
According to the RSPCA, almost 70 per cent of Australian households have an estimated 28 million pets, and many Australians are looking for the perfect getaway with their furry companions.
New data from TripAdvisor reveals Australians are increasingly shaping their travel plans around their dogs and heading to pet-friendly destinations.
Holiday-makers searching for dog-friendly restaurants is up about 10 per cent compared to the previous period in 2024 and searches for pet-friendly accommodation labelled 'pets allowed' increased 22 per cent in early 2025.
The most pet-friendly destinations in Australia were Rye (Victoria), Rainbow Beach, (Qld), Mudgee (NSW), Robe (SA) and Dunsborough (WA).
TripAdvisor and My Dog have embraced the trend and teamed up to launch a new co-branded digital hub to connect Australians with pet-friendly communities.
The hub uses TripAdvisor's online platform and mobile app to help pet owners find dog-friendly travel spots and encourages businesses to recognise the benefits of becoming a pet-friendly destination.
Users can find city guides featuring pet-friendly travel tips and attractions, as well as an AI trip builder to build a pet-friendly trip with itineraries guided by traveller tips and reviews.
TripAdvisor sales director Scott Wegener said the hub was designed to provide information in one place and inspire travellers to visit pet friendly communities throughout Australia.
Mr Wegener said they had seen an increase in demand and more people filtering pet-friendly on their platform.
'Almost 30 per cent of all accommodation that's listed on the site is classified as pet friendly, he said.
'There's roughly around 20,000 pet friendly accommodation providers throughout Australia that pet owners have access to and probably don't realise.'
He said while people probably had an expectation that the accommodation would be more rural or beachside, there were a lot of inner city properties, as well as five star hotels, that were pet friendly.
'It's definitely growing and the beauty is the types of accommodation that offer pet friendly are a mix,' he said.
'Australia has one of the highest percentages of pet ownership in the world and our latest research indicates that more than 50 per cent of those pet owners in Australia plan to travel with their pets in the next 12 months.'
Stacey Pinchbeck, 37, owns two golden retrievers named Dolly and Darcy that are a big part of her little family.
She likes to take them away on family trips with her husband Lynden and baby, so friends or family members are not burdened with looking after her pets.
She said it was stressful finding accommodation providers that would allow them to take two dogs aged five and 18 months, as well as find places to eat with and walk the dogs.
'I want to bring the dogs with us, not only would I miss them but I feel bad if I have to leave them behind but I don't like the idea of having a petsitter or stranger in my home,' she said.
'I have a sister who lives in LA and it is pretty standard over there if you have a dog it will go to restaurants or hotels with you.
'We are a bit behind here, I feel like it's starting to take off but it is still really hard to find accommodation that will allow you to bring two dogs, some places might only allow one small dog.
'When we take the dogs we also like to be near parks or trails so we can take them for a walk.
'There are also lot of places that don't allow dogs on beaches so this app is a great idea, it will make travelling a lot easier.'
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