Expedia Group has published Unpack ’27the annual travel trends report, which opens with Destinations of the Yearthe ten locations where traveler interest is growing fastest. The ranking does not arise from a jury but from the numbers of the platform, i.e. from searches for flights and accommodation made on Expedia between 1 September 2025 and 27 July 2026, compared with the same months of the previous year.
The record of South Lake Tahoe
In the lead is South Lake Tahoe, on the border between California and Nevada, with searches up by 195%. Expedia touts it as a year-round destination, with skiing at Heavenly and Sierra-at-Tahoe in the winter and, in the summer, kayaking and paddleboarding on North America’s largest alpine lake.
@Lake Tahoe
Second is the Japanese prefecture of Hyogo (+95%), which the report considers one of the most underrated destinations in the country: coast, mountains and castles within a short distance of each other, including that of Himeji, the largest and best preserved from the feudal era. The podium closes with Punta del Este, in Uruguay (+65%). Followed by Sedona, in Arizona, known for its red sandstone formations (+55%), South Korea’s Busan (+50%) and Holbox (+45%), a Mexican island off the coast of Yucatán where cars don’t circulate.
Perugia and Chichester, the only European ones
Perugia is seventh, with searches increasing by 35%. The same increase, to be honest, recorded by The Tweed, in Australia, and Niagara-on-the-Lake, in Canada, which follow closely on the list. Of the Umbrian capital, Expedia mentions the medieval center perched on the hill, the jazz and chocolate festivals and a table that focuses on truffles, wild boar and Sagrantino.
@Piazza IV Novembre, in the historic center of Perugia.
Closing the top ten are Chichester, a town on the coast of West Sussex, England (+30%), where according to the report people go for the modern art collection kept in the cathedral, for the theatre, for sailing and cycling.
@Chichester Holy Trinity Cathedral
The complete ranking
These are the Destinations of the Year 2027 according to Expedia:
- South Lake Tahoe, California, USA
- Hyogo, Japan
- Punta del Este, Uruguay
- Sedona, Arizona, USA
- Busan, South Korea
- Holbox, Mexico
- Perugia, Italy
- The Tweed, New South Wales, Australia
- Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
- Chichester, UK
The responsible tourism stamp
Six out of ten destinations achieved it Smart Travel Health Checkthe recognition introduced with last year’s edition to highlight the locations that manage tourist flows in a sustainable way, on the model of the principles of the World Travel & Tourism Council. Perugia is in the group, together with Hyogo, Sedona, Busan, The Tweed and Chichester, while the winner, South Lake Tahoe, does not have the sticker.
