If you're a frequent traveler, you're probably drawn to unexplored territories and booming destinations that haven't yet been touched by the vacationing masses. To put it simply, you're probably still looking for these rewarding items hidden gems.
But some of them may not really be hiding anymore. Rather, they are metaphorically displayed in a museum, which surely does not contribute to your goals. This also does not help the question of overtourism, which is currently having a pronounced impact on the global tourism industry. As experts have warned, the presence of too many tourists can lead to environmental and structural damage, and can impact the local economy by negatively affecting rents and prices.
Some ancient hidden gems are now threatened by overtourism due to the growing buzz around their “untouched” nature. If you know what they are, you can choose to avoid them and opt for more sustainable (and actually more sustainable) solutions. hidden) destinations.
Vacation, the vacation home rental agency, has just published the results of a recent study that analyzed and ranked the “hidden travel gems” that no longer really deserve that qualification. To do this, the team compiled a list of 100 destinations that credible travel sources and magazines have cited as hidden gems, then examined the number of times travel journalists included them in an article over the three last months. Additionally, they also took into account the average number of Google searches for each destination and ended up ranking them according to these parameters.
According to the study, the most hidden hidden gem is the Italian region of Puglia. According to Puglia Tourism Observatoryvisitor numbers have increased significantly in recent years, with an 11% increase in the first 10 months of 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Second place on the list is Riga, Latvia. According to the study, the average number of Google searches each month is 365,000, and in the last three months alone the city has been mentioned at least 132 times in travel articles. The numbers make sense and also translate well into actual tourism data. As the Riga City Council According to reports, bookings for 2023 indicate that by the end of this year, at least one million tourists will have visited the Latvian city.
Zagreb, the Croatian capital, ranks among the top three in the ranking, with up to 371,000 Google searches on average each month. THE Croatian Tourist Board I can confirm: overnight stays in Zagreb increased by 20% this year compared to 2022, with 1.1 million of them between January and June 2023. Thanks to its magnificent cities and beautiful beaches, Croatia has become an easy target for tourists visiting Europe, but it has led to problems with overtourism in different parts of the country. Dubrovnik, for example, has been nicknamed the busiest tourist spot in Europe.
Take a look at the full ranking of not-so-hidden hidden gems below, with the number of mentions from travel journalists over the past three months as well as the average number of monthly Google searches:
1. Apulia, Italy – 278; 330,000
2. Riga, Latvia – 132; 365,000
3. Zagreb, Croatia – 116; 371,000
4. Plymouth, England – 207; 201,000
5. Vilnius, Lithuania–131; 276,000
6. Annecy, France–99; 357,000
7. Asturias, Spain – 112; 203,000
8. Faroe Islands, Denmark – 70; 431,000
9. León, Spain – 223; 107,000
10. Baku, Azerbaijan – 61; 401k
Of course, being on this list doesn't necessarily mean a destination is already crowded, but it's something to consider when planning your trip and setting your expectations.
That said, where can you go that has buzz but isn’t yet too crowded? Below you can find a ranking of the most realistic hidden gems according to the study presenting the same data as the list above:
1. Kulikalon Valley, Tajikstan–0; <10
2. Adishi Georgia–0; 150
3. Guacalito De La Isla, Nicaragua-0; 1,100
4. Vipava Valley, Slovenia – 0; 1,100
5. Outer Islands of the Bahamas, Bahamas-1; 250
6. Principe Island, São Tomé and Príncipe–0; 1,500
7. Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil-0; 2,000
8. Ore Mountains, Germany – 2; 800
9. Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe–1; 1,700
10. Lake Bacalar, Mexico–1; 1,800
To view the full study, you can visit this website.
