South East Coast Resorts to boom in 2011

Victorian tourism is expected to boom in 2011 according to search data from holiday rental accommodation website TakeABreak.com.au.

The Bays and Peninsulas region in the state's south is the most highly-searched region in Australia, followed by the Great Ocean Road.

Wallaroo in South Australia's Yorke Peninsula is also expected to perform well, as is Kiama in New South Wales' Illawarra region., Victoriatoria's Phillip Island, famous for its Moto GP, Superbikes and V8 Supercars events, will also prove popular as petrol-heads undergo their annual pilgrimages.

TakeABreak.com.au's Chief Executive Justin Butterworth says, Victoriatoria has plenty of reasons to earn its highly sought-after profile.

"Victoria has almost 1,900 km of coastline, which is a fantastic drawcard with tourists looking for a break in any season. It has also established itself as a cultural centre, a shopping Mecca and a gourmet destination. Our search data is testament to all of that."

The research results also predict which travel trends will take off in 2011. More people are expected to take pet-friendly holidays, with TakeABreak.com.au already recording a 142% increase in searches for properties that accept our furry friends. This parallels the increasing number of pet-friendly properties that are available on TakeABreak.com.au.

There has also been a huge spike in inquiries into houseboats, which have skyrocketed by more than 1,600% year-on-year.

As Butterworth adds "houseboats blend seamlessly with Australia's extensive river system and are a great way to have it all â the water, the wildlife and the convenient accommodation."

The tourism forecasts paint a different picture to the travel trends from 2010, which featured a wider geographical spread of destinations. While both are based around the coast, there was greater representation of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australian destinations in 2010.

Australia's top spa destination, Daylesford, came in at number one, followed by Bargara Beach on Queensland's Fraser Coast. Queensland's Sunshine Coast and New South Wales' North Coast also proved popular.

Justin Butterworth expects that holiday rentals across Australia will continue to flourish, in addition to the forecasted popularity in south-eastern Australia, concluding "Australia has so much to offer, and while many holiday-makers are currently exploring, Victoriatoria's merits, there are plenty of opportunities and memorable experiences in every corner of the Aussie continent."

TakeABreak.com.au's 2011 forecasts based on the early search data:

1. Rye - Bays and Peninsulas, Victoria
2. Apollo Bay - Great Ocean Road, Victoria
3. Ocean Grove - Bays and Peninsulas, Victoria
4. Wallaroo - Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
5. Lorne - Great Ocean Road, Victoria
6. Sorrento - Bays and Peninsulas, Victoria
7. Rosebud - Bays and Peninsulas, Victoria
8. Great Ocean Road, Victoria
9. Phillip Island, Victoria
10. Kiama - Illawarra, NSW

TakeABreak.com.au's 2010 tourism trends based on retrospective search data:

1. Daylesford/ Spa Country, Victoria
2. Bargara Beach/ Fraser Coast, Queensland
3. Glenelg/ Adelaide, South Australia
4. Lorne/ Great Ocean Road, Victoria
5. Yarrawonga/ Murray River Goulburn, Victoria
6. Port Hughes/Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
7. Port Macquarie/ North Coast, NSW
8. Caloundra/ Sunshine Coast, Queensland
9. Coffs Harbor/ North Coast, NSW
10. Coolum Beach/ Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Takeabreak.com.au was established in 2003, offering travellers with a booking service for small and niche accommodation options. It now attracts over 2.5 million visitors annually, with over 20,000 bookings enquiries per month.

More than 50% of the accommodation listed on Takeabreak.com.au is not found on other popular last minute and hotel websites.

For more information go to www.Takeabreak.com.au

Image: Rye Beach, Victoria.