For many Australians it will be a summer in the city as more people look to spend their summer holiday in an urban environment than by the beach, a new poll commissioned by the Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF) has found.

According to the Australia-wide survey by pollster Nielsen, one in three Aussies (33 per cent) will stay in a city or urban environment while on holiday, while 31 per cent will experience the great summer pastime of a holiday by the beach.

The lure of Australia’s unique regional and outback landscape will also be a big summer drawcard, with one in three Aussies (33 per cent) planning on heading bush over the break.

South Australians are most likely to take spend their holidays in the city (56 per cent), Queenslanders are most likely to visit a regional town (27 per cent), while four per cent of Australians will hit the high seas on a summer cruise.

Topping the to-do list for the most popular day trip activity over the summer period is catching up with family and friends (60 per cent), while nearly as many Aussies (56 per cent) plan to hit the shops to take advantage of the post-Christmas and New Year sales.

More than half of those surveyed (52 per cent) said they would escape the kitchen to experience culinary delights of a restaurant or café over the summer period, with Queensland and NSW residents (55 per cent) the most likely to eat out.

Sun, sand and surf will be a major drawcard for the increasingly popular day trip market, with nearly half of people surveyed (45 per cent) planning to spend a day at the beach, with West Australians the most likely (49 per cent) and Tasmanians the least (21 per cent). The great outdoors will beckon for many Australians, with two in five people going on a scenic drive (40 per cent) and one in three (36 per cent) going to a park or on a bushwalk.

“While for many Australians nothing says summer like enjoying the sand between one’s toes at the beach, more and more Aussies will be spending their holidays enjoying the incredible range of attractions and activities in our cities, either on a holiday or on a day trip,” TTF Chief Executive Margy Osmond said.

“Whether it is indulging in a little bit of retail therapy, eating out or spending a day at one of our world-famous summer sporting events, many Australians are planning to spend their time off in one of our fantastic cities.”