Since travel restrictions related to Covid were lifted in 2021-2023, the travel industry has bounced back with a vengeance. People re-scheduled their busted plans, or took the time to finally plan trips for themselves. All this travel has led to over-tourism in places like Japan, Spain, Italy, and more. As a result, you will start to see people flock to new places to visit in 2026 to try and beat the crowds. Here are a few places that will see increased popularity in 2026.
Sri Lanka
This one is the biggest coin flip on my list. Sri Lanka was a British Colony until 1948. The island saw some unrest in the late 20th century, which was settled in 2009. Since then, it has been stable, with a few instances of further unrest from opposition to the ruling parties.
It’s similarly affordable like the rest of the region due to it’s rocky economic and political past. However, the current government has been in power for around 3 years, offering some stability and improved economy to the island nation.
I’ve already seen it being pushed as “Bali 20 years ago”, a place where nomadic backpacking types can go, see the scenery, and enjoy the surf on a low budget. The scenery looks INSANE, and beach towns like Mirissa and Hikkaduwa attract the type of nomadic travelers that Bali was known for before it popped off.
Udawalawe National Park also offers visitors with the chance for a safari. Here, you can see a diverse bunch of animals including Elephants, Leopards, and water monitors (giant lizards). The island also boasts a healthy population of monkeys (just don’t feed them).
So, keep an eye out for Sri Lanka as one of the hot places to visit in 2026, I think it has some potential.
Taiwan
Taiwan is an island off the coast of China. It’s a popular layover destination en route to Southeast Asia from the US. It is often compared to China due to it’s long intertwined history with China. It is also compared to Japan, due to Japan’s influence from the time it held Taiwan as a colony and the types of experiences you might encounter there.
For one thing, it is a blend of the old world and the new. Buildings like the Taipei 101 (formerly the tallest building in the world) mix with old pagodas to create an incredible mix or architecture which you typically find in places like Japan or China.
Taiwan is very much it’s own place, however. It’s semiconductor industry has turned it into an economic powerhouse. Bubble tea, now a worldwide sensation, also originated here. This creation was further propelled to fame by it’s presence in Taiwan’s famous night markets. If you venture into the night markets in search of Boba, you’ll also be rewarded with tons of delicious street food.
Outside of Taipei, you’ll find places like Yangmingshan and Taroko National parks, where you can see beautifully mountainous scenery and lush green meadows.
Due to it’s cultural and architectural similarity, many people put off by the crowds visiting Japan will consider a visit to Taiwan in 2026. American citizens can visit Taiwan without a special visa for up to 90 days. EVA Air offers direct flights from the US, so it is very easy to get to. Furthermore, it is cheaper than somewhere like Japan or even South Korea. So, I expect this to be one of the best new places to visit in 2026. I’m planning to stop here on my way back from Vietnam next spring, to experience Taipei and the night markets, in particular.
Montenegro
Montenegro is one of the places to visit in 2026 if you want to visit the Balkans, without the crowds of Croatia. Located, just south of Croatia, this tiny country packs a big punch. It’s already started to pop off, and there’s a few good reasons for this.
For one thing, the beaches and coastal towns provide similar scenery as that which you will experience in Croatia. Places like Kotor Bay and Budva are idyllic and great for a coastal trip. At the same time, you can visit places like Durmitor National Park and get a taste of the mountains. So, this small place has something for everybody.
The main drawback to Montenegro is ease of access. You will not get flights in as easily as you would to Croatia, and the tourist infrastructure may be less built out in certain areas. However, you’ll get the benefit of lower costs vs. somewhere like Croatia to help offset some of those drawbacks.
Ecuador
Often overlooked for it’s neighbors, Peru and Colombia, Ecuador is a country with a lot to offer. Quito, the capital city, offers some great examples of Spanish colonial architecture. Cotopaxi National Park is home to Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. Most famously, Ecuador is home to the Galapagos Island. This archipelago is home to many unique creatures such as Galapagos Tortoises and Darwin’s finches.
As places like Macchu Picchu in Peru face more pressure to fight over-tourism, I think we’ll begin to see some travelers look to Ecuador for a different experience. Not to mention, it’s easy to combine a trip to Ecuador with neighboring Colombia to visit somewhere like Cali.
China
China is the most difficult place for westerners to visit on this list. However, my feed is awash with posts promoting it. It’s possible that this is some organized campaign by the tourism officials in China, but I think it’s going to give the country a boost in tourism.
Cities like Chongqing and Shenzhen are being promoted a bunch, with the futuristic building and lights indicating that China is very much a country of the future. Now, people argue about that in the comments all the time, but I think it’s still going to see a healthy uptick in visitors.
Besides the aforementioned cities, you still have places like the Great Wall of China, Shanghai, Beijing, and so on. It’s a very big country so I don’t have any real feel for where the uptick may go, but I would venture a guess that Chongqing will be one of the places that benefits.
In addition, it’s easy to combine a trip to China with a trip to Hong Kong or Macau, if these suit your fancy. Like I said before, the difficulty of getting here is different than the countries listed above. Mainly, they have stricter visa requirements for most westerners. So, if you think a trip to China is for you, do some research ahead of time to see if visitors from your country require a visa to visit as a tourist.
Emerging places to visit in 2026 recap
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading! I personally am hoping to make it to Taiwan and Ecuador next year. I almost made it to Montenegro this year, but have decided to forego it and visit Slovenia instead, a country which also could make this list in the coming years.
Please let me know in the comments what you think of my predictions. Better yet, let me know which countries you think may pop off in 2026!
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