Looking to travel off the beaten track next year? An African island, a Finnish coastal city and the Mexican highlands may be your best bet, according to an adventure travel company.
Intrepid Travel’s annual “Not Hot List” has revealed the top 10 destinations poised for tourism growth in 2026.
The round-up aims to highlight remarkable places that have been “overlooked by mainstream travellers”.
Developed with travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender, the list highlights international locations currently missing out on the “economic and cultural benefits” of tourism.
Destinations were assessed against three criteria – less-visited, tourism readiness, and new in 2026 – to curate the list of 10 locations with tourism potential next year.
Topping the list, Intrepid told travellers to look to Sierra Leone’s Tiwai Island – newly awarded Unesco World Heritage status in 2025.
Sierra Leone’s first-ever 10-year tourism strategy was launched in 2024, with direct flights now departing from London.
Intrepid said Tiwai’s dense jungle, rare flora and fauna and boat cruises along the Moa River are an opportunity to “leverage tourism to diversify the economy” in the country.
Meghan Verbeek, product manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Intrepid, said: “What sets Sierra Leone apart is its raw authenticity. Tourism here is still in its infancy, offering a rare chance to explore a destination untouched by mainstream tourism.”
Intrepid highlighted lesser-visited destinations in both Sierra Norte, Mexico, and Turkey‘s Southeastern Anatolia, as alternatives to all‑inclusive resorts and urban centres more commonly experienced by tourists.
Emerging destinations also included the Tien Shan Mountain Range in Kyrgyzstan and India’s easternmost state, Arunachal Pradesh.
Vis Island was named the “perfect antidote to mass tourism” in Mediterranean hotspot Croatia, away from the hordes in Dubrovnik and Hvar.
The former Yugoslav military base has no airport or cruise ports, but is set to open new walking and cycling trails, along with the Museum of Issa, in 2026.
Elsewhere in Europe, Romania’s Via Transilvanica, a 1,400km long-distance walking trail, made the top 10 as the continent’s “next great walking destination”.
The addition of 170km of new paths opening in 2026 and Romania’s Schengen area inclusion put the trail, which passes through 12 Unesco World Heritage sites, in seventh place.
Oulu, Finland, similarly made the hotlist as “European Capital of Culture 2026”.
With seasonal cycling, hiking and floating saunas, the coastal city just below the Arctic Circle is offering a year-long cultural programme “fusing climate science and cultural expression”, and is a direct flight from Frankfurt.
Erica Kritikides, general manager of global product for Intrepid Travel, said: “The Not Hot List speaks to the Intrepid community’s endless curiosity. My hope is that it inspires more people to take the road less travelled – to seek out those places where tourism, when done properly, can make the biggest difference.
“These destinations are opening their doors to us. It’s our responsibility as curious travellers to put our best foot forward and step inside these new worlds.”
Intrepid Travel’s 2026 Not Hot List
- Tiwai Island, Sierra Leone
- Tien Shan, Mountain Range, Kyrgyzstan
- Sierra Norte, Mexico
- Vis Island, Croatia
- Southeastern Anatolia, Türkiye
- Arunachal Pradesh, India
- Via Transilvanica, Romania
- Ruta de las Flores, El Salvador
- Oulu, Finland
- Great Basin National Park, Nevada, United States
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast