Concern over environmental threats to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef don’t seem to have dented its popularity, with research suggesting it is one of the world’s top trending “natural bucket-list” experiences for 2026.

The study analysed hundreds of social media comments by avid travellers around the globe to identify the 20 most commonly cited bucket-list items involving experiences that weren’t “man-made”.

It then ranked them based on the increase in Google searches for each experience over the past year.

Great Barrier Reef tours came in at 11^th spot ­– the only Australian activity to make the list.

There was a 77 per cent increase in year-on-year search interest in reef tours, according to the analysis by travel insurance company Insure&Go.

The findings appear to track with data from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, which shows that the number of tourists visiting the park has continued to increase steadily since Covid-19, although it hasn’t yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The authority’s records show that more than 2.309 million people visited in 2024-25 for activities including full-day or part-day excursions, coral viewing and scenic flights.

Stretching across 2300 kilometres off the coast of Queensland and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Area, the Great Barrier Reef has long been a popular holiday destination, but mass bleaching events have seen its reputation take a hit in recent years.

It is possible that increasing interest in visiting the reef is linked to the so-called “last-chance tourism” trend, where travellers flock to natural landmarks or experiences that are considered to be at risk.

In 2025, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee again raised fears for the Great Barrier Reef’s future, citing concerns about water pollution, unsustainable fishing and the impact of climate change.

Tourism is often blamed for exacerbating environmental problems that threaten fragile ecosystems, although many tour operators based along the reef  promote experiences that highlight reef restoration and protection efforts.

The top item in the Insurea&Go list of fastest-growing bucket-list experiences is a different, and more specific, type of ocean adventure: Shark cage diving tours. These are said to have experienced a 1464 per cent surge in Google searches.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Calypso Star Charters Videos (@calypsostarcharters.videos)

A release promoting the research findings describes shark cage dives as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience for people to get up close and personal with these cold-blooded creatures” and references tours available in the Galapagos Islands and off the Western Cape of South Africa.

It omits to mention that adrenaline seekers can also go shark cage diving with two companies offering close encounters with great whites at Neptune Islands, off the coast of South Australia.

Next in the list is Northern Lights tours ­­­– which aligns with previous research that included Norway and Iceland in the top 10 trending destinations for 2026.

They are followed by the spectacular Iguazu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. With a drop of 82 metres and a total width of 2700 metres, the falls attracted more than 3 million visitors in 2024 – double that of just four years earlier.

Iguazu Falls is the largest waterfall system in the world. Photo: Enaldo Valadares / Wikimedia Commons

Also featuring in the top 15 are tours of Banff National Park in Canada, the Galapagos Islands, Grand Canyon in the US, Africa’s Victoria Falls and Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest, Antarctica, African safaris, Patagonia, and the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard.

“Our research proves that travellers are looking for extraordinary moments that bring them closer to nature,” said spokesperson Letitia Smith.

“Whether it’s witnessing the Northern Lights, staying in Eastern Africa to see mountain gorillas or exploring the world’s great waterfalls, people are clearly seeking more unforgettable experiences in 2026.”

An unusual inclusion at No.10 is “Mongolia horseback riding tours”.

These may not feature highly on Australians’ bucket lists, but there are myriad options available online, all promising a chance to take in the country’s “true Nomadic spirit” and unique landscapes ­– but be warned, comments on several Reddit forums suggest novices may be in for a “bumpy” ride.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Equitours (@equitours_ltd)