Christchurch has been named one of the 10 most exciting places on the planet to visit next year, putting the Garden City alongside Monterey in California, Sendai in Japan and Bratislava in Slovakia.

The city tops Booking.com’s list of Trending Destinations for 2027, released today as part of the company’s annual Travel Predictions research.

It is the only New Zealand city on the list, which also includes Reims in France, Rosario in Argentina, Pescara in Italy, Puri in India, Goiânia in Brazil and Asunción in Paraguay.

Booking.com pointed to the Ōtākaro Avon River and its riverside paths, Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens as reasons travellers were looking at the city.

The opening of One New Zealand Stadium this year was also singled out, restoring a gathering place locals had long gone without and positioning Christchurch as a major events destination.

“It’s a city that is full of surprises that has reinvented itself over the last 15 years, from its buzzing creative scene and beautiful civic and event spaces to the incredible outdoor adventures right on its doorstep,” Booking.com regional manager for Oceania and Korea Todd Lacey said.

The rebuild has been done with purpose, creating a walkable centre shaped around the river with Māori culture, history and identity woven throughout, ChristchurchNZ chief executive Ali Adams said.

“Christchurch offers the rare combination of a dynamic urban experience and extraordinary natural beauty, all within easy reach.”

Visitors were also discovering a food scene that had caught the attention of Michelin inspectors, along with stargazing, wildlife and spectacular landscapes on the city’s doorstep, she said.

The research, now in its 11th year, surveyed more than 28,000 travellers across 32 countries, including 1008 New Zealanders.

It found Kiwis were ready to tear up the travel rulebook in 2027.

Almost three in four, 72 percent, were interested in a holiday that was completely out of character, and 73 percent would choose where to go based on how they wanted to feel rather than the destination itself.

More than half of Kiwi travellers, 56 percent, were interested in paranormal experiences, and 42 percent would seek out a trip in the hope of speaking to someone on the “other side”.

Money is also deciding who gets an invite. More than a quarter of New Zealanders admitted removing someone from a travel group entirely, and 67 percent of parents were keen to leave the kids at home so they could spend more on themselves.

Work is following people on holiday too. Fifty eight percent of Kiwis said the last day of a trip was ruined by thoughts of returning to the office, and a third took their laptop with them.

Nearly half would let artificial intelligence cover their work while they were away.

Long haul travel is also in for a shake up, with 92 percent of Kiwis saying they would take a long journey if it guaranteed they would arrive rested, above the global average of 89 percent.