Something has shifted in how people choose where to travel. The classic itinerary that once carried a certain prestige – Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Bali – hasn’t vanished, but it’s no longer the default. A growing number of travelers are skipping the well-worn route altogether, opting instead for quieter towns, overlooked regions, and places that rarely make the cover of a mainstream travel magazine.
This isn’t just a niche lifestyle choice. It’s a measurable trend backed by survey data, booking patterns, and a clear cultural exhaustion with overcrowded hotspots. The appeal of smaller destinations is building momentum, and the reasons behind it are worth understanding.
The Numbers Tell a Clear Story
Nearly two thirds of travelers say they are likely to visit an off-the-beaten-track destination on their next trip, according to Expedia’s “Unpack ’25” travel trend report, which surveyed 25,000 respondents from 19 countries. That’s a striking number for what was once considered a fringe preference. It signals something much broader than a passing travel fad.
Trend reports from Expedia and Booking.com show vacationers are forgoing splashy trips to global hot spots in favor of quieter trips to places that are lesser-known and far less crowded. The shift is not marginal. It’s increasingly reflected in actual booking behavior, not just stated intentions on surveys.
Overtourism Has Made Famous Places Less Appealing
In 2024, with travel rebounding globally, overtourism hit harder than ever. Famous destinations like Venice, Bali, and Barcelona were already grappling with overcrowding, and the effects were noticeable – from environmental damage to overwhelmed local services and the displacement of residents. For many visitors, that reality is impossible to ignore once you’ve experienced it firsthand.
In 2024, Santorini reportedly saw up to 18,000 cruise passengers overwhelming the island on a single day, straining resources for its 15,000 permanent residents. According to McKinsey, roughly four fifths of all travelers visit just one tenth of the world’s tourist destinations. That extreme concentration is precisely what’s pushing more thoughtful travelers to look elsewhere.
The Rise of “Destination Dupes”
Some lesser-visited cities and regions are increasingly positioning themselves as “destination dupes,” a term popularized in 2023 by Expedia that refers to alternate destinations easily accessible from popular hubs that offer their own distinct, authentic experience but with far fewer crowds. The concept grew into one of the most talked-about travel trends of 2024.
The hashtag for destination dupes has accumulated 400,000 posts on TikTok alone, with users suggesting cheaper and less busy alternatives to popular places – like the Greek island of Paros as a substitute for Santorini. Albania emerged as one of TikTok’s top-trending travel dupes of 2024, with Intrepid Travel reporting an 84% increase in bookings to the destination. The trend has real commercial weight behind it now, not just social media buzz.
Smaller Towns Are Delivering More Authentic Experiences
Travelers are shifting away from overcrowded tourist spots and turning toward more authentic, immersive travel experiences that allow them to connect with local cultures. This trend involves supporting local communities, dining at local eateries, and partaking in local customs and traditions like festivals and parades. Those moments are simply harder to find when you’re navigating tourist queues three people deep.
The 2025 Hilton Travel Trends Report highlights a growing trend: as life accelerates, slow travel – the desire to travel like a local – is on the rise. Specifically, nearly three quarters of global travelers now seek more authentic, local experiences to fully immerse themselves in a culture, especially when traveling with children. Smaller destinations tend to offer this kind of immersion more readily than saturated tourist hubs.
The Cost Advantage Is Real and Significant
Cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona, Venice, and Bali all added or increased tourist taxes and entry fees in 2024. A Deloitte 2024 summer travel survey found that nearly a third of respondents claim it’s too expensive to travel right now, up from roughly a quarter the previous year. When entry fees, inflated accommodation prices, and peak-season surcharges stack up, popular destinations lose their appeal fast.
Travelers choosing alternative destinations benefit from getting off the beaten path – which means fewer tourists, more authentic and local experiences, and better value for money. That combination is proving particularly attractive at a time when travel budgets are under pressure and travelers are demanding more meaningful returns on their spending.
Younger Generations Are Driving the Shift
The “townsizing” trend is being fully embraced by younger generations, with data showing that more than two thirds of young travelers say they are more likely to see a vacation as an opportunity to live out their small-town fantasies. This isn’t nostalgia. It reflects a genuine hunger for something more grounded and less scripted than a major tourist city can offer.
Millennials and Gen Z prioritize life experiences over possessions, especially when it comes to travel. What they seek most in a destination is a truly unique experience. Smaller destinations, precisely because they haven’t been over-packaged for mass tourism, tend to deliver that uniqueness more naturally than their famous counterparts.
Social Media Is a Double-Edged Tool for Hidden Gems
From immersive videos that spotlight lesser-known destinations to packing hacks and transport advice, TikTok has become a vital source of knowledge and inspiration for exploring the world. It’s also a source of contention, with creators exposing “secret” spots that become overrun with tourists and, on occasion, promoting unethical activities.
Nearly 60% of travelers admit they’ve arrived somewhere that looked better online than it did in real life. This explains why so many travelers seem to be shifting away from purely “Instagrammable” vacations, returning to experiences more like those travelers had before Instagram existed. That disillusionment is quietly redirecting attention toward less-photographed places that still have the capacity to surprise.
Destination Managers Are Responding to the Demand
Perhaps the most notable shift among destination organizations is the move from a destination marketing approach – bringing in more tourists – to one focused on destination management, balancing the needs of the destination and its residents while creating a positive visitor experience. That change in thinking is itself an acknowledgment that the old model of chasing visitor numbers has run its course in many places.
Canada’s Tourism Corridor Strategy Program, launched as a pilot in 2023 by the country’s national tourism marketing organization, created travel corridors designed to promote areas and regions beyond well-known coastal provinces. In 2024, four additional corridors were added for a total of seven. Other countries are developing similar strategies, recognizing that spreading tourism more evenly benefits both travelers and host communities.
The Sustainability Angle Is Growing Harder to Ignore
About three quarters of travelers say they want to travel more sustainably, and one practical way to do this is to visit under-touristed destinations, especially as international travel has returned close to pre-pandemic levels. Choosing a smaller destination isn’t just a personal preference anymore – it carries a genuine environmental and social rationale.
Visiting lesser-known destinations supports sustainable tourism by promoting genuine interactions and community engagement, thereby benefiting both travelers and destinations. Travelers to these emerging locations typically experience trips free from overtourism’s downsides – no tourist taxes, no frustrated locals – while forging deeper connections with communities and their stories. For many travelers in 2026, that trade-off has become not just acceptable but actively desirable.
What This Means for Travel Going Forward
If the tenor of 2025 is any indication, 2026 looks to be a year of more intentional travel. People are thinking harder about where they go, why they go, and what they actually want to take home from a trip. The reflexive booking of famous places is being replaced by something more considered.
Travel trends in 2024 and beyond suggest that today’s traveler wants to get under the skin of wherever they go – to understand the culture, the environment, and the people there. Smaller destinations, with their unscripted rhythms and genuine local life, are increasingly well-positioned to deliver exactly that. The world has a lot of places left that haven’t been loved to exhaustion, and travelers are starting to find them.