Intrepid Travel has released its annual Not Hot List, spotlighting underrated destinations for 2026.
So far, 2025 has been the year when overtourism has come under increasing scrutiny. Over the course of the summer alone, several European hotspots have tried to cap visitor numbers, while residents of popular towns and villages, tired of the crowds of tourists, have voiced their frustration at the strain mass tourism places on their infrastructure, daily life and nature.
Intrepid notes that while world-famous landmarks deserve their popularity, countless lesser-known places are equally worth discovering. As Erica Kritikides, general manager of Experiences at Intrepid Travel, explains: “Eighty per cent of travellers visit just 10 per cent of the world’s destinations”, adding the company strove to “shine a light on places that are ready to welcome visitors and benefit from their presence”.
Developed with travel trend forecasting agency Globetrotter, the list highlights overlooked locations around the globe that are ready to welcome visitors sustainably. To qualify, each location needs to be relatively uncrowded, prepared with infrastructure and a growth plan, and newly featured for 2026.
The 2026 Not Hot List
1. Tiwai Island, Sierra Leone
Granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2025, it is one of the last pockets of ancient rainforest in West Africa.
2. Tien Shan Mountain Range, Kyrgyzstan
A trekking paradise offering sweeping alpine landscapes and an immersion into nomadic life.
3. Sierra Norte, Mexico
In the Oaxaca highlands, where tourism is a community-led by the Pueblos Mancomunados.
4. Vis Island, Croatia
A serene Adriatic refuge, favoured by locals and ready to welcome international visitors.
5. Southeastern Anatolia, Türkiye
Also loved by locals, and is waiting to reach the ears of international travellers despite its UNESCO World Heritage sites.
6. Arunachal Pradesh, India
Remote Himalayan peaks, ancient monasteries and vibrant tribal cultures.
7. Via Transilvanica, Romania
Also called the ‘Camino of the East’ for its 1,400 km trail, to which 170 km will open in 2026, crossing villages and 12 UNESCO sites.
8. Ruta de la Flores, El Salvador
It offers world-class surf beaches, active volcanoes and ancient Mayan ruins.
9. Oulu, Finland
On the delta of the Oulujuki river and surrounded by wilderness, this ‘dynamic and forward-looking’ village will be the ‘European Capital of Culture’ in 2026.
10. Great Basin National Park, USA
It is known for bristlecone pines, pristine lakes and some of the darkest skies in North America.
Kritikides stresses that “a key consideration when we’re developing trips is how we can spread the economic benefits of tourism more widely and positively impact the communities we visit”.
Intrepid added it was “time for travellers to explore the lesser-known corners of the world and for more local communities to reap the benefits of tourism”.
This vision aligns with broader traveller trends. A recent European Travel Commission report found that 55% of travellers now seek niche destinations away from the crowds.
