Every day in Rome, 30,000 people flood to see the Trevi Fountain. That’s enough people to pack out London’s O2 Arena to its max capacity – and fill half of another.
It goes without saying that this level of overtourism has become unsustainable, both for tourists and for locals. Paris, Barcelona and Amsterdam all face the same problem. Everyone seems to be heading to the same places, and there’s just not enough room.
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Enter: the ‘Not Hot List’. Each year, Intrepid Travel puts together a list of some of the most underrated travel destinations, promising unique charm with minimal crowds. Each spot needs to meet three criteria: low tourism, readiness for travellers, and newness (meaning new initiatives, infrastructure or events that enhance the destination’s appeal).
So, what’s on the list this year? First, there’s Samburu National Reserve in Kenya, a green expanse of East African wildlife attracting only 30-40k visitors a year. The idea is to spread tourism from other Kenyan spots like Maasai Mara National Reserve, which currently recieves around 300,000 visitors a year. On the other side of the country, the elephants, leopards and cheetahs of Samburu go largely unseen.
In fact, Samburu has its own ‘Samburu Special Five’ of uniquely populous wildlife: the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, East African oryx and long-necked antelope known as gerenuk.
Mestia in Georgia also features on the list for its unparalleled scenery. One of the joys of hiking is feeling like you’re the only person for miles, and on the mountains of Mestia, you just might be. This highland townlet gets less than 100k visitors a year – compare that to the Alps, which see 120 million tourists annually. With new infrastructure and an airport in the works, Mestia is on its way to establishing itself as a tourist hotspot, so get in there quick.
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The Northern Highlands of Jordan show off a greener side of a country primarily known for deserts and sandstone cities. With a range of locally owned guesthouses and community tourism initiatives, these mountainous reserves emphasise sustaining rural livelihoods, all while creating a truly authentic and unique Jordanian experience.
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Elsewhere, there’s a quiet Greek island home to endangered monk seals, a southeast Asian destination far off the backpacker trail, and Europe’s newest capital of culture. Read on.
The 10 emerging destinations on Intrepid’s ‘Not Hot List’
- Samburu National Reserve, Kenya
- Mestia, Georgia
- Northern Highlands, Jordan
- Whitehorse, Canada
- Alonnisos, Greece
- Dili, Timor-Leste
- Pekoe Trail, Sri Lanka
- Liepāja, Latvia
- Carretera Austral, Chile
- Dalsland, Sweden
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