Surprise Australian city makes list of top ten trending travel destinations right now

What do ‘brat summer’, Bluey, breakdancing and Brisbane have in common? They’re all trending right now. Brisbane, you say? Yep, Australia’s future Olympic host city has just been named one of the top ten trending global destinations for Millennial and Gen Z travellers right now. It’s a pretty cool claim for the Queensland capital, which was also recently ranked as the happiest city in Australia, and was the only Aussie city to crack the hottest destination list.

The annual hotlist of 2025 trending destinations released by American Express Travel is based on card member travel bookings and insight from the company’s travel consultants, who have kept Millennial and Gen Z travellers in mind. Although the list isn’t ranked, Brisbane was the sole Australian destination to score a shout-out. Their travel team has made a pretty big call, claiming that the Queensland capital is “starting to compete with Sydney and Melbourne on the cultural front”, pointing to its “modern architecture, excellent museums, vibrant dining and nightlife options.”

Photograph: Supplied | Melt Festival

We fully back Brisbane as a trendy destination for young travellers too. The city’s arts and culture scene is absolutely alive right now, with acclaimed New York photographer Spencer Tunick having just unveiled his first Australian mass nude exhibition at Brisbane Powerhouse. Brisbane’s dedicated open-access festival of queer art and culture, Melt Festival, will also strut back into town for its second year on October 23, accompanied by the city’s biggest food and art festival, Night Feast.

The auditorium at the Tivoli packed with people as The Polish Club plays onstage — Photograph: Supplied | The Tivoli

Planning a trip in 2025? Brisbane’s trendy James Street precinct is home to hipster boutiques and top-notch restaurants, like Gerard’s Bistro, Fatcow and Same Same. Post-feed, you can stroll over to Fortitude Valley’s hottest live music venues, including The Tivoli and The Triffid. And when it’s time for a nightcap, hit up one of Brisbane’s buzzing bars, including the hidden-in-plain-sight Savile Row, and the drinking hole-cross-vintage arcade, Netherworld.

Oh, and for those on the cusp of Gen Z, Brisbane is about to welcome a world-first Bluey attraction next month, featuring life-size recreations of iconic settings from the Emmy Award-winning show.

Interested to see what other destinations might soon take over your TikTok feed? You can check out American Express Travel’s 2025 trending destinations below.