{"id":12440,"date":"2026-09-27T22:24:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T22:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/stayz-reveals-the-summer-destinations-filling-up-fast\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T22:20:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T22:20:34","slug":"stayz-reveals-the-summer-destinations-filling-up-fast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/stayz-reveals-the-summer-destinations-filling-up-fast\/","title":{"rendered":"Stayz Reveals The Summer Destinations Filling Up Fast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>Travellers booking for late January could save up to 45% compared to Christmas week<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>28&nbsp;SEPTEMBER 2026, SYDNEY&nbsp;\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stayz.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Stayz<\/a>&nbsp;data shows&nbsp;now is the time to lock in a summer escape, with&nbsp;more than&nbsp;half<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>of&nbsp;its&nbsp;holiday&nbsp;homes&nbsp;already booked&nbsp;for summer&nbsp;across some of&nbsp;Australia\u2019s&nbsp;most sought-after&nbsp;coastal&nbsp;destinations, including Mornington Peninsula,&nbsp;Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Which Australian coastal destinations are more than 50% booked?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Popular&nbsp;holiday home&nbsp;destinations&nbsp;over 50%&nbsp;booked&nbsp;for summer,&nbsp;according to&nbsp;Stayz<\/strong><sup>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/sup>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shoalhaven, NSW\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Byron Bay, NSW\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sunshine Coast, QLD\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gold Coast, QLD\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mornington Peninsula, VIC\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Geelong, VIC\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fleurieu\u00a0Peninsula, SA\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whitsundays, QLD\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Kangaroo Island, SA\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For travellers yet to book,&nbsp;Stayz&nbsp;data suggests flexibility can pay off. The final week of January is shaping up as one of the best-value periods of the summer season, with&nbsp;holiday&nbsp;homes on average up to&nbsp;<strong>45% less than Christmas week<\/strong>, while also&nbsp;benefiting&nbsp;from fewer crowds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The classic Australian summer holiday is still very much centred around gathering family and friends and&nbsp;splitting the cost of a holiday home by&nbsp;the coast.&nbsp;We&#8217;re&nbsp;already seeing strong demand across many of Australia&#8217;s favourite beach destinations, with holiday homes filling up&nbsp;ahead of the peak summer period&#8221;&nbsp;says Sarah King,&nbsp;Stayz&nbsp;Travel Expert.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Holiday homes are a little different to hotels. Once a property is booked,&nbsp;it&#8217;s&nbsp;no longer available to other travellers, so booking ahead can mean more choice. For those with flexibility, travelling later in January can also offer better value and greater availability.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stayz\u2019s&nbsp;Summer booking tips:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Travel in late January for fewer crowds and\u00a0better value:\u00a0<\/strong>Our data indicates that the last week of January (25 to 31 January 2026) is shaping up to be\u00a0our\u00a0\u00a0best time to book a\u00a0summer\u00a0holiday home\u00a0with\u00a0select\u00a0accommodation up to 45% cheaper and 90% less busy than Christmas week (22 to 27 December\u00a02026)<sup>2<\/sup>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Find your perfect stay with filters and guest reviews:\u00a0<\/strong>Use\u00a0Stayz\u2019s\u00a0search filters to find the right summer holiday home faster, whether\u00a0you&#8217;re\u00a0looking for a pool,\u00a0a pet-friendly\u00a0property\u00a0or family-friendly amenities. For added confidence, look for the\u00a0\u2018Loved by Guests\u2019\u00a0filter, which highlights the top 10% of homes in a destination based on\u00a0near-perfect\u00a0guest ratings.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Look beyond the coast\u00a0for more availability:\u00a0<\/strong>While coastal destinations continue to dominate demand, travellers looking for more choice this summer may want to consider inland destinations that still have strong holiday home availability, including the Southern Highlands, Barossa Valley,\u00a0and\u00a0Yarra\u00a0Valley.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Book with confidence:\u00a0<\/strong>Every booking made through\u00a0Stayz\u00a0is automatically backed by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stayz.com.au\/tlp\/trust-and-safety\/care-guarantee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">StayzCare<\/a>\u2122\u00a0at no extra cost*.\u00a0If certain issues arise,\u00a0such as host-initiated cancellations, check-in issues,\u00a0fraud\u00a0or significant misrepresentation,\u00a0Stayz\u00a0can\u00a0 provide\u00a0support, including help with finding another place to stay.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Unlock savings by booking early and staying longer<\/strong><sup>3<\/sup><strong>:<\/strong>Planning ahead can pay off with many\u00a0Stayz\u00a0properties offering discounts for bookings made at least 60 days in advance.\u00a0Travellers can also take advantage of Stayz\u2019s\u00a0\u2018Weekly\u2019\u00a0and \u2018Monthly\u2019\u00a0discounts on eligible properties making long summer stays even better value.\u00a0Stayz\u00a0holiday homes offerings savings for travellers on early bookings include<sup>4<\/sup>:\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gold Coast, QLD:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Stay 3 nights in January at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stayz.com.au\/holiday-rental\/p9186097?chkin=2027-01-14&amp;chkout=2027-01-17&amp;d1=2027-01-14&amp;d2=2027-01-17&amp;startDate=2027-01-14&amp;endDate=2027-01-17&amp;x_pwa=1&amp;rfrr=HSR&amp;pwa_ts=1790213512726&amp;referrerUrl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3RheXouY29tLmF1L0hvdGVsLVNlYXJjaA%3D%3D&amp;useRewards=true&amp;adults=2&amp;regionId=180064&amp;destination=Gold+Coast%2C+Queensland%2C+Australia&amp;destType=MARKET&amp;neighborhoodId=553248635976196677&amp;selected=116775160&amp;latLong=-28.01726%2C153.425699&amp;discounts_group=early_booking&amp;searchId=c25cd8b0-f4c0-40d9-aaca-8fbf3cce3f1e&amp;sort=RECOMMENDED&amp;top_dp=4764&amp;top_cur=AUD&amp;userIntent=&amp;selectedRoomType=34626079&amp;selectedRatePlan=0000e914e64e9a574a3f8c60f68a9043196b&amp;expediaPropertyId=34626079&amp;containsVideo=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Surfers Paradise Holiday<\/a>\u00a0House\u00a0and early bookers can save\u00a0$450\u00a0on\u00a0Stayz\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gerroa, NSW:\u00a0<\/strong>Stay 3 nights in January\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stayz.com.au\/holiday-rental\/p20060906?chkin=2027-01-14&amp;chkout=2027-01-17&amp;d1=2027-01-14&amp;d2=2027-01-17&amp;startDate=2027-01-14&amp;endDate=2027-01-17&amp;x_pwa=1&amp;rfrr=HSR&amp;pwa_ts=1790213736928&amp;referrerUrl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3RheXouY29tLmF1L0hvdGVsLVNlYXJjaA%3D%3D&amp;useRewards=true&amp;adults=2&amp;regionId=6338681&amp;destination=Gerroa%2C+New+South+Wales%2C+Australia&amp;destType=MARKET&amp;selected=109674358&amp;latLong=-34.769901%2C150.813126&amp;searchId=1a93e255-c267-4438-9356-6c9eec237247&amp;sort=RECOMMENDED&amp;top_dp=4261&amp;top_cur=AUD&amp;userIntent=&amp;selectedRoomType=109674358&amp;selectedRatePlan=00000384230e69b94de7b865e94389e1d01b&amp;expediaPropertyId=109674358&amp;containsVideo=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Retreat by the Sea<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0early bookers can save $400 on\u00a0Stayz\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Porlington, VIC:\u00a0<\/strong>Stay 3 nights in January at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stayz.com.au\/holiday-rental\/p9845292?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peachbud\u00a0House\u00a0Portarlington<\/a>\u00a0and early bookers can save\u00a0nearly $250\u00a0on\u00a0Stayz\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p># # #&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sup>1<\/sup><sup>&nbsp;<\/sup>Based on an analysis of domestic accommodation demand&nbsp;on Stayz.com.au for summer travel&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sup>2<\/sup>&nbsp;Predicted best value and busiest times are based on an analysis of booked\u202fdomestic\u202fdata on Stayz.com.au for travel between 1 December 2026 to 31 January 2027&nbsp;current as&nbsp;at&nbsp;23 September 2026&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sup>3<\/sup><sup>&nbsp;<\/sup>Selected&nbsp;homes only. To find homes that offer this discount in your desired destination, select the&nbsp;\u2018Early booking\u2019,&nbsp;\u2018Weekly discount\u2019&nbsp;or &#8216;Monthly discount&#8217; filter&nbsp;from the filter list on the search results page.&nbsp;Weekly discounts must&nbsp;travel dates of 7+ nights to see prices and&nbsp;savings&nbsp;and Monthly discount&nbsp;must&nbsp;have&nbsp;travel dates of 28+ nights.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sup>4<\/sup><sup>&nbsp;<\/sup>Prices as of 24 September 2026 for travel between&nbsp;14 January\u2013&nbsp;17&nbsp;January&nbsp;2026&nbsp;on Stayz.com.au. Prices are subject to change and availability.&nbsp;Stayz&nbsp;standard booking terms and conditions apply.\u202f\u202f&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sup>*<\/sup>&nbsp;See&nbsp;StayzCare\u2122&nbsp;terms and conditions&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stayz.com.au\/lp\/b\/bwc-guarantee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>FAQ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When should Aussies book a holiday home for Christmas, or summer school holidays?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aussies planning a&nbsp;summer&nbsp;escape&nbsp;should book&nbsp;now, as&nbsp;Stayz&nbsp;reveals&nbsp;its&nbsp;most sought-after coastal destinations are over 50% booked&nbsp;including&nbsp;Mornington Peninsula, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How can travellers find the right summer holiday home?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Travellers can use Stayz\u2019s filters to look for features such as pools, pet-friendly&nbsp;facilities&nbsp;and family-friendly amenities. The Loved by Guests filter also&nbsp;identifies&nbsp;the top 10% of homes in a destination based on guest ratings of 9.4 or higher.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When is the best time to travel&nbsp;this&nbsp;summer?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last week of January (25 to 31 January 2027) is shaping up to be a sweet spot for summer travel, with accommodation up to 45% cheaper and 90% less busy than Christmas week, 22 to 27 December 2026.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How can&nbsp;travellers save on holiday homes this summer?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Booking at least 60 days in advance and choosing an eligible longer stay on&nbsp;Stayz&nbsp;can help travellers access available discounts and save on their summer holiday. Available on select properties.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Travellers booking for late January could save up to 45% compared to Christmas week&nbsp; 28&nbsp;SEPTEMBER 2026, SYDNEY&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;Stayz&nbsp;data shows&nbsp;now is the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":12439,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[],"companies":[134],"locations":[72],"class_list":["post-12440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","companies-stayz","locations-sydney","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12440","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12440"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12440\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12441,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12440\/revisions\/12441"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12440"},{"taxonomy":"companies","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/companies?post=12440"},{"taxonomy":"locations","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/locations?post=12440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}