New report from Big Red Group reveals surge in demand for thrilling adventures

The Autumn 2025 report from Big Red Group - Australia and New Zealand’s largest experience marketplace - found consumers are increasingly seeking thrills - with 18.5% of experiences served in Autumn falling under the adventure category.

Thrilling adventures like helicopter flights grew exponentially (+92.9%) and offerings including ziplining, bungy jumping, and giant swings also jumped by +71.4%.

The report, which analyses booking data from close to 200,000 experiences taken between 1st March and 31st May, supports the broader trend toward adventure tourism, with the market forecasted to grow from $53.33 billion in 2025 to approximately $174.03 billion by 2032.

Big Red Group data also revealed a strong swing toward a growing desire for distinctive experiences that offer something meaningful, exciting, or novel as spending shifts toward high-value moments and travel consumption climbs.

Key findings within the report include:

• Tourists increase touch downs with inbound travel up 6% YOY, with strong demand seen from China, India and the United Kingdom as helicopter flights (+ 92.9%), canyoning (+71.9%) and sightseeing/cultural tours (+71.9%) draw in international visitors.

• Climate resilience emerged as both a trend and a necessity amid unprecedented deluges in Autumn. With Coolcationing, flexible booking policies, and weather-proofing among the ways operators and travellers are adapting to a changing climate.

• Curated culinary hubs on the rise after industry emerges from chaotic half decade. Big Red Group served over 27,000 ‘wine & dine’ experiences in Autumn, contributing to the country’s food tourism market, which is projected to soar to $165bn by 2033.

• Melbourne takes pole position knocking off long-time rival Sydney to take top spot in season’s experience destination hot list, with the Formula One Grand Prix and AFL opening round drawing record crowds and encouraging bookings.

• Autumn hotlist heats up as Hot Air Ballooning and Sightseeing & Cultural Tours rise into the season’s experience hotlist, however, Theme Parks once again held onto the top spot, with close to 12.5% of total experiences served in the category.

• Wild weather continued to wreak havoc in Autumn, with heavily affected areas like Coolangatta (-50.2%) and Broadbeach (-27.4%) dipping. Yet, North Queensland told a different story as Port Douglas (+47.6%) and Cairns (+22.9%) grew exponentially.

• Locals lived it up as the trend toward short-stay getaways continued this season, with getaways surging by +16.3% as back-to-back long weekends enticed Australians to head away and experience the best the nation has to offer.

• Less stuff, more stories as consumers increasingly seek quality experiences over quantity - and become more willing to spend, so long as it feels unforgettable. It comes as the average order value for big-ticket items increased for RedBalloon and Experience Oz.

On the new seasonal report, David Anderson, Chief Executive & Co-Founder at Big Red Group noted “consumers are showing us that they are seeking experiences that are unforgettable, leading to the prioritisation of high-value activities that enrich or excite. They want ‘quality over quantity’ - and they’re willing to spend for it, so long as it feels memorable. This was a key mindset we saw reflected in our booking data which analysed close to 200,000 experiences served across RedBalloon, Adrenaline, and Experience Oz in Autumn.

“As decision-making becomes more centred around emotionally resonant experiences, the tourism and experiences industry is certainly well poised to benefit from this mindset shift. Couple this with a continued rise in travel consumption and intent, and it’s clear the industry is evolving into something even more impactful and exciting”.

Access the ‘Seasonal Experiences Index: Autumn 2025’ report from Big Red Group 

Methodology:
The ‘Seasonal Experiences Index: Autumn 2025’ report was developed by analysing over bookings across Big Red Group brands and wholesalers, conducting roundtable discussions with experience operators and regional tourism operators - and leveraging third-party reports to quantify how the current state of the nation is impacting consumer behaviour.