Uninterested in the same old sights or craving a break from the journey herd?
These 5 journey spots could be the getaway you are in search of.
Journey journey firm Intrepid Journey’s new “Not Scorching” record is out — spotlighting ignored journey spots all over the world.
The corporate’s annual record makes an attempt to fight overtourism by serving to vacationers “beat the crowds and … encourage them to hunt out totally different and distinctive experiences all over the world in communities that may really profit from guests,” Matt Berna, president of the Americas at Intrepid Journey, advised CNBC Journey.
The 2024 record calls consideration to 2 locations in Asia, two in Europe and one in Central America.
Corsica
Corsica, a mountainous Mediterranean island and territorial collectivity of France, is a self-proclaimed “Island of Magnificence.”
Corsica, France.
Supply: Intrepid Journey
In contrast to Italy’s tourist-saturated Positano, vacationers visiting Corsica can “get pleasure from a extra genuine, tranquil, and immersive expertise … with out the overwhelming crowds,” based on a press launch by Intrepid Journey.
However the island’s attract extends past its coastlines. Corsica can be identified for its 180 kilometer (112 mile) mountain climbing path — the GR20 — and quite a few historic landmarks, France’s tourism web site confirmed. The island is dwelling to 6 nature reserves, together with the Scandola Nature Reserve — a UNESCO World Heritage Website famend for its crimson volcanic rocks.
Corsica’s “distinctive mix of pure magnificence, cultural richness, and historic significance … units it aside from standard locations like Positano,” based on Intrepid.
Seoul
Tokyo, Singapore and Seoul are the three most visited Asian cities in 2023, based on market analysis firm Euromonitor Worldwide.
Seoul, Korea.
Supply: Intrepid Journey
Tokyo welcomed 31.8 million worldwide vacationers in 2019, based on the Japan Nationwide Tourism Group. In the identical 12 months, 17.5 million worldwide vacationers visited Seoul, Korea, statistics by the Korea Tourism Group confirmed.
“Tokyo has been a preferred journey vacation spot for a very long time, so its product choices are extra different, attracting a bigger spectrum of audiences particularly households and extra mature vacationers,” Nick Lim, Asia CEO of The Journey Company, advised CNBC.
Tokyo’s bookings from January to November 2023 rose by 234%. However Seoul’s reputation is rising. This 12 months, flight bookings to Seoul elevated 191% — double that of 2022, a consultant at Journey.com advised CNBC Journey.
“Youthful vacationers could select Seoul over Tokyo as a result of town presents a mixture of conventional and trendy tradition,” Lim mentioned. The rise of Korean pop music and dramas have additionally boosted town’s attraction, he added.
Nonetheless, Seoul and Tokyo stay vastly totally different. Each cities are “culturally wealthy with genuine and distinctive experiences … the selection between them in the end is determined by particular person preferences and pursuits,” Lim mentioned.
Panama
Panama, a Central American nation bordered by Costa Rica and Colombia, is dwelling to one of many world’s most subtle engineering works — the Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal in Panama, Central America.
Gonzalo Azumendi | Stone | Getty Pictures
The town has 5 UNESCO World Heritage Websites — two archaeological websites, Panama Viejo and Casco Antiguo, and three nationwide parks, the Coiba, Darien and La Amistad nationwide parks.
Intrepid Journey recommends Panama for individuals who want to “immerse themselves in native traditions, folklore, and up to date arts … that differs from the extra European-centric cultural panorama,” the press launch acknowledged.
Past historic websites, seven indigenous communities reside in Panama. Two of which — the territories of Guna and Emberá — are open to vacationers, based on Panama’s official tourism web site.
Kefalonia to Corfu
Greece is thought for its seashores, coastal caves and island hopping.
However away from Santorini and Mykonos, the islands from Kefalonia to Corfu are “a serene haven for vacationers looking for a tranquil escape,” based on Intrepid.
Corfu, Greece.
David C Tomlinson | The Picture Financial institution | Getty Pictures
Kefalonia and Corfu are two of the most important islands within the Ionian Sea, whereas 12 others are scattered throughout the west coast of Greece.
The Ionian Islands’ “unspoiled landscapes and pristine seashores … presents a serene haven for vacationers looking for a tranquil escape, not like the extra crowded locations” like Break up and Dubrovnik in Croatia, Intrepid Journey’s press launch acknowledged.
Borneo
Borneo, an island in Southeast Asia, is split amongst three nations — Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.
Kalimantan, the Indonesian area of the island, takes up two-thirds of the island, whereas the Islamic nation of Brunei lies between two Malaysian states — Sarawak and Sabah.
Borneo, an island in Southeast Asia, has the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, Indonesian’s Kalimantan and Brunei.
Supply: Intrepid Journey
“Whereas Bali is undoubtedly a shocking vacation spot with its lovely seashores and wealthy cultural heritage, Borneo presents a wholly totally different expertise that’s unmatched in its personal proper,” the press launch acknowledged.
Though the islands could also be shut to one another, they’re vastly totally different.
Bali is taken into account a properly established “drop and flop” seaside vacation spot — the place vacationers usually drop their luggage and spend the day on the seaside — however Borneo is concentrated on nature and eco-tourism, Lim advised CNBC Journey.
“Borneo is certainly not an alternative choice to Bali … [but] it has every little thing to be an up-and-coming hotspot,” he mentioned.
The island, the most important in Asia, is dwelling to the world’s oldest rainforest and Southeast Asia’s tallest mountain — Mount Kinabalu, journey operator Borneo Eco Excursions’ web site confirmed.
Indonesia will even be relocating its capital, Jakarta, to Borneo’s Nusantara by 2045.