Condé Nast Traveler China has announced the results of its 2026 Reader’s Choice Awards, with Sydney among the top 20 on the Best Destinations list.

Now in its 38th year, the Readers’ Choice Awards is the only Condé Nast Traveler ranking determined entirely by reader votes, covering destinations, hotels, airports, airlines, cruise lines and islands. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential travel awards in mainland China.

This year’s survey generated 31,289 responses — a 43.4 per cent increase year on year.

Sydney was ranked alongside global cities including Amsterdam, Barcelona and London.

Condé Nast Traveler also released highlights from its 2026 China Travel Trends Report.

The report offers insights into evolving travel preferences and consumer behaviour in China:

  1. Travel is now an established lifestyle. 44.63 per cent of respondents travelled two to three times over the past year, while 22.18 per cent travelled four times or more — both figures higher than last year.
  2. Spending is shifting from material value to emotional value. Travellers are increasingly willing to invest in meaningful, memorable experiences, with purchases evaluated by the emotional value they create.
  3. Travel motivations are becoming interest-led. Rest and relaxation remains the primary driver (46.95 per cent), followed by cultural exploration (16.97 per cent) and food and wine experiences (11.67 per cent). Live events and sports (6.58 per cent) recorded notable growth and are emerging as important travel motivators.
  4. The era of endurance-style travel is fading. Dining is the most important factor in destination selection for 23.96 per cent of respondents. In luxury travel, accommodation ranks first (27.81 per cent), followed by unique experiences (25.26%) and fine dining (19.39 per cent) — all increasing year on year.
  5. Wellbeing is now a baseline expectation. More than 57 per cent of travellers consider maintaining health while travelling to be very important, prioritising quality sleep (24.8 per cent), healthy eating (16.74 per cent) and outdoor activities (12.54 per cent).
  6. Word of mouth remains powerful in the AI era. Beyond location (23.18 per cent), hotel decisions are strongly influenced by brand reputation and loyalty programs (20.24 per cent), as well as Condé Nast Traveler recommendations (14.56 per cent). Social media recommendations influence 11.78 per cent of destination choices.
  7. Flexibility is increasingly valued. Self-drive travel remains the preferred option for family trips (34.5 per cent), while demand for customised itineraries has risen to 21.61 per cent. Weekend getaways are often planned at short notice.
  8. Sustainability is moving from aspiration to action. 23.66 per cent of respondents actively choose eco-friendly accommodation, while 15.11 per cent opt out of daily linen changes during multi-night stays.