The surprising destinations everyone will be talking about in 2026
Thursday, 16 October 2025
Forget Paris and Bali — the world’s next must-visit destinations are a little more unexpected.
Expedia has unveiled its 2026 Destinations of the Year, identifying where global traveller interest is soaring — even in places that haven’t yet gone viral.
The list, powered by millions of daily searches on the Expedia site and app, reveals where flight and accommodation demand is rising fastest.
At the top is Big Sky, a ski town in the Rocky Mountains in the United States, where searches have jumped 92% compared to last year.
Other trending destinations include Okinawa in Japan and Sardinia in Italy, both renowned “Blue Zones” where residents are known for living longer, healthier lives, up 71% and 63% respectively.
Also making the cut are Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Savoie in France, Fort Walton Beach in Florida, Ucluelet in Canada, the Cotswolds in England, San Miguel de Allende in Mexico and Hobart in Australia.
Six of these destinations also met the criteria for Expedia’s new Smart Travel Health Check, which recognises places offering meaningful, sustainable experiences that help take pressure off the world’s most over-visited cities.
Big Sky, Okinawa, Savoie, Ucluelet, the Cotswolds and Hobart all made that list.
Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin said the travel company wanted to champion destinations that balance tourism with care for their people and environment.
“We have a responsibility to shape the future of travel — one that’s smarter, more sustainable, and deeply respectful of the places we go,” Gorin said.
Hobart was the only Australian city to make the list — something Tourism Tasmania CEO Sarah Kingston Clark said highlights the island state’s growing international appeal.
“Hobart offers something for every traveller – from a thriving culinary scene and world-class arts and cultural events, to stunning natural landscapes,” she said. “Nearly half of Tasmania is protected wilderness, offering World Heritage national parks, ancient rainforests and rugged coastlines alive with wildlife.”
While the list includes familiar favourites like Italy and Japan, there’s a clear shift towards lesser-known destinations.
Erica Kritikides, general manager of experiences at Intrepid Travel, says 80% of travellers visit just 10% of the world’s tourism destinations.
“While some destinations receive millions – even tens of millions – of visitors each year, many lesser-known places go virtually unnoticed by travellers.”
She told Stuff Travel that the well-known haunts are popular because they’re accessible.
“But many of these newer hotspots are geographically remote, haven’t had the same air connectivity or, crucially, the same marketing exposure.”
Some destinations, Kritikides added, don’t even have tourism boards to promote themselves.
“It’s not because these places aren’t beautiful. Often it’s because they just haven’t had that time to shine.
“People see a beautiful photo and think, ‘Wow, that’s amazing,’ but it’s about helping them understand how to get there,” she said. “The logistics can be a big barrier.”
The Expedia Destinations of the Year 2026 list
Big Sky, Montana, US
Okinawa, Japan
Sardinia, Italy
Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Savoie, France
Fort Walton Beach, Florida, US
Ucluelet, Canada
Cotswolds, UK
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Hobart, Australia