Overseas travel has changed dramatically since the 2010s, when booking a holiday often meant visits to travel agents, printed tickets and expensive international roaming charges.
In 2026, travellers are increasingly relying on digital tools to book trips, navigate foreign cities and stay connected overseas, making international travel easier, faster and significantly cheaper.
Reliable internet access is now considered essential when travelling. Google Maps, ride-sharing services, hotel apps, restaurant bookings, mobile banking and video calls all require data, yet many travellers still rely on international roaming services. Telstra’s International Day Pass costs between $5 and $10 per day for around 2GB of data, which adds up quickly. For a family of four travelling for two weeks, the cost can reach up to $40 per day or $560 for the trip.
Others purchase local SIM cards after landing, often facing airport queues, language barriers and limited data options following long-haul flights. In response, many Australians have turned to eSIM technology. An eSIM is a digital SIM built into modern smartphones, allowing users to download a mobile plan directly to their device without inserting a physical card.
Most newer smartphones can store multiple eSIM profiles, meaning travellers can keep their Australian number active while using a separate data connection overseas. Setup is typically completed at home on Wi-Fi before departure, with the eSIM activating automatically on arrival to provide instant connectivity.
The savings can be substantial, particularly for families. For example, a family of four travelling to Bali for two weeks may pay $560 using Telstra roaming, compared to $68 for a Yesim 15-day unlimited eSIM package — a saving of $492, or 88 per cent.
Yesim also offers a pay-as-you-go “Pay & Fly” option, where users pay only for the data they use, with one eSIM covering more than 170 countries. Data costs include $2.84 per GB in the United States and $7.58 per GB in destinations such as Indonesia, Thailand and Japan. Prepaid options include 20GB for 30 days in Bali for $45.50 and 10GB for 30 days in Thailand for $21. Unlimited packages are also available, including seven days unlimited in Thailand for $34. A 500MB trial package is available for $0.85.
Payment technology has also reshaped overseas travel. Much of Asia and Europe is now largely cashless. Singapore rarely accepts cash, many Stockholm retailers refuse it, and Tokyo transport systems and vending machines often rely on tap-to-pay technology. Many travellers now use Apple Pay or Google Pay linked to Australian bank cards, benefiting from real-time currency conversion and competitive exchange rates.
Others use multi-currency cards such as Wise, which allow travellers to hold and spend currencies including USD, EUR and JPY. These cards can save between three and five per cent in fees, equating to $150 to $200 on a $5000 trip.
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Language barriers have also eased. Translation apps such as Google Translate now offer real-time voice translation and instant camera translation for menus and signs. Languages can be downloaded for offline use, allowing travellers to communicate at pharmacies, train stations and restaurants even without constant connectivity.
Airports have become faster and more efficient, with automated e-gates now common at major international hubs including Singapore, Tokyo, London, Dubai and Los Angeles. Using facial recognition and biometric passport scanning, passengers can clear immigration in around 30 seconds. Australian passports issued since 2015 include biometric chips, allowing travellers to bypass traditional queues. Digital boarding passes and mobile travel apps mean paperwork is increasingly unnecessary.
Before departure, travellers are encouraged to set up eSIMs on home Wi-Fi, add payment cards to digital wallets, download offline maps and translation languages, and store passport and travel documents securely in cloud storage. Checking phone compatibility and notifying banks of travel plans can also prevent issues overseas.
Bali remains the most popular destination for Sunshine Coast travellers, just six hours from Brisbane. Japan continues to grow in popularity, supported by direct flights. Europe remains a favourite for longer trips, with a single eSIM working across 27 EU countries, while the United States offers some of the most competitive mobile data pricing, with rates as low as $2.84 per GB.
Technology in 2026 has simplified international travel for Sunshine Coast residents, reducing costs and removing many of the logistical challenges once associated with going overseas. With minimal preparation before departure, travellers can stay connected, navigate confidently and manage payments with ease, making overseas travel more accessible than ever before.
For more information, visit the Yesim website.
