"Stepping up to help is travel-booking site Skyscanner, which this October released its top-searched destinations for U.S. travelers in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. "The not-so-obvious (places) are stealing the spotlight," Skyscanner writes. "U.S. travelers are turning their attention to smaller, lesser-known destinations that fly further under the radar but offer something fresh beyond the big-name spots.""
"Goodbye, Hawaii and Disney World. Hello, Limon, Costa Rica, a coastal city that saw a 286-percent increase in flight searches this year. Other hot spots include Bodrum, Turkey; Zadar, Croatia; and in the United States, New Haven in Connecticut (great pizza!) and Colorado's mountainous ski-haven, Vail. Skyscanner's 10 trending destinations for 2026 1 Limon, Costa Rica 2 Jaipur, India 3 Bodrum, Turkey 4 Madeira, Portugal 5 Vail, Colorado 6 Zadar, Croatia 7 Olbia, Italy"
U.S. travelers shifted search interest toward smaller, lesser-known destinations in early 2025 versus 2024, favoring international coastal and historic cities and some domestic regional spots. Limon, Costa Rica led with a 286-percent increase in flight searches. Other high-growth destinations included Jaipur, Bodrum, Madeira, Zadar, Olbia, Bilbao, and Mykonos, alongside U.S. picks Vail and New Haven. The list reflects interest in ski resorts, beach towns, cultural capitals, and culinary cities, suggesting travelers seek fresh experiences beyond traditional major-name resorts like Hawaii and Disney World. Search data compare the first half of 2025 to the same period in 2024.
Read at The Mercury News
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