Melbourne’s never been shy about its food and drink credentials, but now, the city has global bragging rights to match. According to Airbnb’s recently dropped 2026 travel predictions, Melbourne has been named one of the top wine destinations in the world for 2026, rubbing shoulders with regions in France, India and the US.
Airbnb’s annual forecast paints a picture of the year ahead in travel, and while Gen Z are apparently sprinting through short international getaways and the world at large is hyper-focused on touching grass in national parks, there’s one trend that’s particularly juicy: culinary travel is getting hands-on, and wine regions are stealing the show.
With bookings in lesser-known or unexpected wine regions skyrocketing, Melbourne has emerged as a global frontrunner – not just for the wine we pour, but the whole wine-related experience. Sure, we all know the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula are on our doorstep, but what’s turning heads internationally is the way Melbourne folds wine into its broader culture via laneway bars pouring minimal-intervention drops; cellar door day trips that start as “maybe one taste” and end with an impromptu long lunch; and a dining scene where pairing notes are treated with the same reverence as theatre reviews.
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It’s also part of a larger shift. As Airbnb’s data shows:
- Gen Z travellers want culture-rich quick escapes over long hauls.
- ‘Mainstage journeys’ – aka trips anchored around global festivals and sporting events – are going strong.
- And increasingly, tourists want to roll up their sleeves: kneading dough, swirling glasses and tasting terroir instead of just talking about it.
Which puts Melbourne in a sweet spot – as a city that already lives and breathes culinary curiosity. So whether it's a Gen Z whirlwind weekend fuelled by pét-nat and pasta, or a more meditative solo adventure through the pinot noir heartland, Melbourne’s wine tourism game is set to soar in 2026.
Our advice? Book the cellar doors now – because once the rest of the world clocks what we’ve known for years, those tasting rooms are about to get very full, very fast.
These are the top wine destinations in the world for 2026:
- Bangalore, India
- Finger Lakes, NY, United States
- Melbourne, Australia
- Traverse City, MI, United States
- Var, France
You can read the full predictions report here.
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