Sporting Events Drive Longer Stays and Travel Across Melbourne, Airbnb Data Shows
Major sporting events are drawing visitors to Melbourne for longer stays and time beyond the stadium, according to Airbnb data. In the week of 8 to 14 September 2026, when American football was set to debut in the city, travellers booked an average stay of four nights, pointing to trips planned around more than a single match or occasion. Group bookings accounted for much of that travel. More than 80 per cent were for at least two guests, and over one-third were for groups of four or more. The extra time in the city gives visitors scope to explore Melbourne’s food, cultural attractions, neighbourhoods and local activities. Demand for Airbnb Experiences has also increased, with searches for Melbourne experiences up more than 35 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026. Coffee and culinary laneways, visits to Fitzroy and Collingwood, and hiking trips to the Grampians were among the popular choices. Some guests are building Melbourne into wider Australian journeys, adding an average of three nights in other destinations after their Melbourne stay. Those destinations included Sydney, Brisbane, Colac Otway and Bass Coast. The wider events calendar is contributing to accommodation demand. Searches for Melbourne stays around the 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in March were almost 15 per cent higher than for the 2025 event, while searches around the 2027 Australian Open finals are already more than 10 per cent higher year-on-year.
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