2026 Not Hot List
This is our call to action to curious travellers
Our annual Not Hot List spotlights 10 lesser-known places that are ready to welcome more travellers in 2026.
With a mix of emerging destinations like Sierra Leone and Kyrgyzstan, and little-known regions in Mexico, Croatia and more, you’ll be inspired to take the road less travelled, uncover unique experiences and go where your presence can have a positive impact.
Download the 2026 Not Hot List
Key considerations
International awareness and visitor numbers are lower compared to nearby or similar destinations.
Factoring in infrastructure readiness and sustainable growth plans, there’s potential for increased tourism to benefit local communities.
Major events, cultural milestones or new tourism capacity put these destinations on the map in 2026.
1. Tiwai Island, Sierra Leone
A recently launched 10-year tourism strategy marked a bold plan to attract international travellers and recast the country as a leader in ecotourism.
At the heart of this transformation is Tiwai Island. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2025, it’s renowned for its diverse populations of animals and part of the Gola Forest National Park.
You can experience it on our Sierra Leone Adventure: History, Culture & Nature trip.
2. Tien Shan Mountain Range, Kyrgyzstan
Long traversed by nomads, yet little-known by outsiders, this trekking paradise is finding its rightful place on the radar of adventure-seekers around the world.
Dominating the landscape, Tien Shan Mountain Range stretches across China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Here, hiking means more than just spectacular scenery – it’s an immersion into local nomadic life.
The Kyrgyzstan: Trekking the Tien Shan Trails trip hikes these routes, winding through remote valleys, passing glacial lakes and staying in community-run yurts along the way.
3. Sierra Norte, Mexico
Deep in the Sierra Norte mountains of Oaxaca lies one of the most compelling examples of Indigenous-led tourism in the world: the Pueblos Mancomunados.
This cooperative of eight self-governing Zapotec villages operates under a community-led model that shares profits equally and limits visitor numbers. Trails remain pristine, the forest is cared for and young people have economic reasons to stay and invest in their future – and you can experience it on the Hiking in Mexico: Oaxaca’s Indigenous Highlands trip.
4. Vis Island, Croatia
As Croatia steers visitors away from overcrowded destinations, Vis Island is emerging as serene refuge ready to welcome more travellers.
Having learnt from its neighbours, Vis has shaped an approach to tourism grounded in small-scale, local experiences that celebrate the island’s unspoiled charm and slower pace.
With a two-night stay on Vis, our Explore Croatia trip gives travellers a chance to experience the lesser-known island’s allure.
5. Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey
Driven by a national push to showcase the region’s cultural and culinary heritage, Southeastern Anatolia is poised for a tourism revival.
No secret to locals, but still off the beaten path for most foreign visitors, the area is dotted with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and cities like Sanliurfa and Gaziantep are deeply invested in attracting more visitors.
Travellers can get a taste of this adventure on the new Eastern Turkey Explorer trip.
6. Arunachal Pradesh, India
Despite towering Himalayan peaks, ancient monasteries and diverse tribal cultures, Arunachal Pradesh’s remoteness and strict permit rules have long kept it in the shadows of India’s northeast.
That’s beginning to change with the launch of a refreshed tourism strategy. At its heart is a commitment to community-based travel, with authentic homestays and locally-led experiences that give travellers a unique insight into local life.
7. Via Transilvanica, Romania
Dubbed the ‘Camino of the East’, and with 170 km of new paths opening in 2026, Romania’s long-distance Via Transilvanica walking trail is helping position the country as Europe’s next great walking destination.
Weaving through villages, ancient forests and 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites, it's been intentionally designed to share the economic benefits of tourism more widely.
Our new Hiking in Romania: Via Transilvanica Trail trip gives travellers early access to this newly added section of the 1400 km trail.
8. Ruta de las Flores, El Salvador
El Salvador is gaining attention as one of the world’s fastest growing travel destinations with government-backed initiatives helping to drive tourism growth.
But beyond the world-class surf beaches, active volcanoes and ancient Mayan ruins, the Ruta de las Flores remains one of the country’s best kept secrets. On the Discover Guatemala, Honduras & El Salvador trip, travellers explore this lesser-known region while it still feels undiscovered.
9. Oulu, Finland
Perched on the delta of the Oulujoki River and surrounded by untamed wilderness, Oulu’s a dynamic, forward-thinking coastal city just below the Arctic Circle in Finland.
And as the newly dubbed ‘European Capital of Culture 2026’, it’s attracting visitors through a bold cultural program that fuses climate science with creative expression, seizing the opportunity to champion environmental awareness.
10. Great Basin National Park, United States
As proposed budget cuts loom over America’s National Parks, this under-the-radar spot packed with natural beauty reminds us of what’s at stake.
Home to ancient bristlecone pines, snow-fed alpine lakes and some of the darkest skies in America, Great Basin National Park offers a rare kind of national park experience that’s vast, quiet and still largely untouched by mass tourism.
Visiting now is not just a quiet getaway – it’s a vote of confidence in the places that protect America’s most profound natural environments.
What the Not Hot List means for you
A lot of the time, it’s for good reason – those few places are incredible! But they’re not the only incredible places, and, in fact, this overconcentration of tourism has taken its toll.
Getting deliberate and mindful about not just how we travel, but where we travel and why we travel, can make for better experiences for you and the places you visit.