The strong Australian dollar is proving to be a huge incentive for Australians to extend their travels beyond the Aussie shores and visit the previously ‘expensive’ places such as the USA and Europe as well as broaden their horizon’s and seek out destinations that help them take advantage of the AUD.
The trend of travelling overseas is supported by the recent Australian of Bureau Statistics figures which indicated that overseas departures were up by 5.2 percent, compared to the same period last year.
Helping Australian’s choose their next holiday abroad, the 2013 Expedia NAB Foreign Exchange Index was released, showing the top destinations based on the purchasing power of the Australian dollar against other major currencies in the past 12 months:
| Rank | Currency | AUD Percentage Gain |
| 1 | Japan |
+15.52 |
| 2 | Brazil | +8.20 |
| 3 | South Africa | +5.42 |
| 4 | Indonesia | +4.28 |
| 5 | Argentina | +2.53 |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | +1.47 |
| 7 | Mauritius | +0.73 |
| 8 | USA | +0.68 |
| 9 | Hong Kong | -1.53 |
| 10 | China | -1.70 |
Taking inflation rates into account, Japan was found to be the destination where Australians can get the most for their buck; Expedia recommends a visit in April and May so as to take full advantage of the cherry blossom displays.
South American countries also ranked high in the list which is an excellent sign especially for those looking to holiday before the upcoming major events in Brazil bring the crowds in.
An Australian favourite, Indonesia ranked fourth on the list, making travel to the archipelago even more attractive. To help avoid the crowds, Expedia recommends travelling to Indonesia in early May, before the busy school holiday and Easter breaks.
