From Kurdistan to Moldova, here are my top alternative picks for 2026’s emerging travel destinations.
The New Year has begun, the traditional time for writing bucket lists and planning your next big travel adventures. But what does 2026 hold for travellers hoping to get off the beaten track and explore the world’s next big destinations?
Well, as a professional travel journalist who regularly writes for British newspapers and international travel publications, the biggest takeaway I have from last year is the ongoing story of overtourism. Throughout 2025, mainstream destinations struggled to deal with ever-increasing visitor numbers, and locals hit back hard.
Spain is the clearest example: official border-survey figures show international arrivals approached 91.5 million in the first 11 months of 2025 (a record for that period), even as cities and islands wrestled with capacity. That tension spilt onto the streets. In the Canary Islands, large demonstrations against an “unsustainable” tourism model drew tens of thousands of people, while in Mallorca, aggressive anti-tourism campaigns seemed to do the job, with many Brits avoiding travel to the Spanish island last summer.
With classic European city break destinations like Venice imposing tourist taxes on visitors, you might be wondering where you can escape rising costs and increasing crowds. I propose that we make 2026 the year of alternative travel. There are plenty of emerging destinations out there actively welcoming tourists to their shores, so why stick to the over-trodden paths?
To help you plan your off-the-beaten-track getaway, here are 7 alternative destinations where tourist numbers are low, and you won’t get caught up in an anti-tourism riot.
Table of Contents
7 alternative destinations for 2026
Here are my top picks for 2026’s up-and-coming, emerging travel destinations. Get there before the crowds!
1. Algeria instead of Morocco
Morocco has proven itself to be a mass-market success story, but with Reuters reporting how the nation welcomed a mega 19.8 million tourists in 2025, it’s time to look elsewhere for your North African travel fix. Step in Algeria, which in 2024, only welcomed 3.5 million tourists, a fraction of neighbouring Morocco.
I visited Algeria back in late 2023 for The Times, and found a criminally underrated destination, home to sweeping Sahara desert sands and Roman ruins devoid of tourists. Algeria has emerged from its post-Civil War slumber and even offers a Visa on Arrival for those travelling on organised tours into southern Saharan areas like Tamanrasset.
Algeria has been receiving significantly more travel media coverage than ever before, and I genuinely believe it will be one of 2026’s most popular offbeat destinations. Start your trip amongst the Ottoman and French colonial streets of Algiers, explore the ancient ruins of Tipaza and Timgad, the spectacular gorges of Constantine and the desert dunes and petroglyphs of Taghit.
Read more: 13 Best Places to Visit in Algeria
2. Iraqi Kurdistan instead of Turkey
Iraq rarely makes the headlines for reasons of tourism, but times are changing, especially in the autonomous Kurdish region in the country’s north. Indeed, Iraqi Kurdistan has surprisingly strong ambitions to develop itself into one of the Middle East’s top tourist destinations, and in 2024, they even welcomed some 8 million (predominantly local) tourists.
In May 2025, I found myself reporting on the brand new Zagros Mountain Trail (Iraq’s first long-distance hiking trail) for Wanderlust Magazine. The 215-kilometre, multi-day hiking route weaves through the towering Zagros Mountains, linking travellers with homestay hosts and local guides.
I was fascinated by the capital, Erbil, and its layered history dating back some 8000 years, while the city of Sulaymaniyah is a cultural hub, home to cocktail bars and museums. Of course, travel here is inseparable from politics, and you’ll learn about the Kurdish struggle against Saddam Hussein and their desires for independence. But that’s what makes this all the more intriguing a destination to visit.
In comparison, neighbouring Turkey (which also hosts a huge Kurdish region) reported 52.6 million international tourist arrivals in 2024. Kurdistan, however, offers a refreshing break from the crowds.
Read more: How Many Countries Are in the Middle East? Everything You Need to Know.
3. El Salvador instead of Mexico
I first visited El Salvador way back in 2018, when the Central American destination’s tourist tagline was somewhat uninspiring. ‘Don’t Skip El Salvador‘ was the plea of the tourism board, so I didn’t, and found myself in a country home to towering volcanoes, thick rainforest and a glorious Pacific Ocean coastline.
Things are slowly changing, with El Salvador’s security situation having changed markedly thanks to President Nayib Bukele’s gang crackdowns, while I’m told that beach destinations like El Zonte have become crypto hubs. Still, El Salvador barely welcomed 4 million visitors at the last count in 2024, meaning numbers are exceptionally thin on the ground compared to Mexico, the region’s biggest destination, which hosted upwards of 45 million international tourists in the same year.
Gorge on Pupusas (the national dish) in San Salvador, hike the Santa Anna Volcano, explore the rural Ruta de las Flores, and chat with former guerrilla fighters turned tour guides in Suchitoto.
Read more: The Last Cigar Rollers of Suchitoto
4. Georgia instead of Albania
When I first crossed the border to Georgia in 2015, I knew the small Caucasus nation was like nowhere else in the world. Fringed by snow-capped mountains, the birthplace of wine offers a heady mix of spectacular landscapes and Soviet history steeped in the Supra drinking and feasting traditions that will leave you reeling (in a good way).
I’m still surprised by how visitor numbers to Georgia are comparatively low, with only 5.4 million international visitors reported in 2024. Ongoing tensions with Russia might have something to do with that, but 2026 could still finally be Georgia’s year, given that both British Airways and EasyJet launched direct flights from the UK to Tbilisi in 2025.
I’m recommending Georgia as an alternative to Albania. While I also love the Balkan nation, it’s quickly becoming a victim of its own success story, with 11.7 million tourists descending on Albania (which has a population of just 3 million) in 2024. Georgia offers taller mountains, Black Sea beaches and more wine than you can reasonably handle.
Read more: Top Things To Do In Georgia!
5. Bangladesh instead of India
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries on earth, yet visitor numbers remain incredibly modest. The Bangladesh Tourism Board estimated just 655,000 international arrivals in 2024, almost nothing compared to its staggering 171 million-strong population. Compared to India, too, tourism numbers are criminally low, with the neighbouring country welcoming tens of millions each year.
I visited Bangladesh for the first time in 2025, and barely saw another non-local tourist. Start your journey in the chaotic capital, Dhaka, which is now the second most populous city on the planet. Explore the Ganges River Delta by ferry, search for the rare Bengal Tiger in the Sundarbans (the world’s largest mangrove forest) or see the curious border ceremony between India and Bangladesh in Benapole.
Even for seasoned travellers, Bangladesh can be an overwhelming experience, so I’d recommend booking a guided tour with Fahad, the founder of Bengal Expedition Tours.
Watch more on YouTube:
Read more: Travel Tramp’s 2025 Roundup!
6. The Philippines instead of Thailand
With an estimated 35.54 million visitors in 2024, Thailand remains one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. I get the appeal. There’s sunshine, white sand beaches, great food and luxury resorts. But what if I told you there’s an undervisited South East Asian archipelago, home to well over 7000 tropical islands, that rarely hits the tourist radar?
I’m amazed how the Philippines only welcomed 5.44 million tourists in 2024, but in some ways, I’m also selfishly pleased. The Philippines is one of my all-time favourite travel destinations, and aside from hotspots like Boracay or Palawan, I’m happy to keep its many islands a secret for now.
Once you’ve escaped Manila, explore the rice terraces of the Cordilleras, the hanging coffins of Sagada, the white sand beaches of Mindanao, or the volcanoes of Bicol.
Read more: How Many Islands in the Philippines? Everything You Need to Know.
7. Moldova instead of the Czech Republic
For my British readers looking for a city break closer to home, my top pick this year is Chisinau, the unknown Moldovan capital. The former Soviet republic is home to the world’s largest underground wine cellars, not to mention the curious breakaway region of Transnistria. Best of all, Moldova only recorded 67,000 tourist arrivals in 2024, meaning you’ll have the capital to yourself.
Wizz Air now flies direct to Chisinau from London Luton, making this a bargain city break without the crowds. Compared to other capitals in the region, like Prague (Czechia hosted some 23 million guests in 2024), Chisinau has yet to even get near the tourist radar. I first visited Moldova in 2015, and I’ll be heading back again later this year to see how things have changed.
Read more: Top Things To Do In Chisinau!
There you have it; my top picks for 2026’s alternative travel destinations. Where will you be travelling this year?
Recent Comments