How to spot a trend before the lists do
By the time a destination shows up on every "where to go next year" list, the cheap flights have usually gone. The good news is that travel trends rarely come out of nowhere. They leave signals months in advance, and you can read them yourself.
We looked for five kinds of signal: a hit film or series shot on location, a major sporting event, a new nonstop flight, a jump in search data on booking sites during 2026, and a cultural title such as European Capital of Culture. On their own, each is a hint. When two or three line up for the same place, a surge in bookings usually follows.
The 12 destinations below are where we see the strongest overlap for 2027. The table shows which signals apply to each, and the sections explain what they mean for your trip, including the catch.
Destinations riding a film or a major event
1. The Peloponnese, Greece
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey opened in July 2026 and has already changed travel plans. Scenes were shot on the Peloponnese coast, including the curved sands of Voidokilia Beach and the sea castle at Methoni. One specialist operator, Unforgettable Greece, told Travel Weekly its reservations were up 76% on the previous year.
What it means for you: the Peloponnese is a mainland alternative to the crowded islands, about three hours by road from Athens. It has Byzantine towns such as Monemvasia and Mystras, Ancient Olympia and long beaches.
The catch: film tourism tends to peak the summer after a release. Aim for May, June or September 2027.
2. Sicily's Aeolian and Egadi Islands, Italy
The same film used Favignana in the Egadi Islands and the waters around Lipari in the Aeolians. Both island groups were already favorites with Italian sailors, and they're now getting international attention.
What it means for you: base yourself on Lipari or Salina and take day boats to the other islands, including Stromboli, whose small eruptions light up the night sky.
The catch: ferries in August are packed and hotels are expensive. June and September are much calmer.
3. Morocco
The Odyssey shot its Troy scenes at Aït Benhaddou, the fortified village in the foothills of the Atlas that has appeared in dozens of films, and filmed on the beaches of Essaouira. At the same time, Morocco is upgrading airports, rail and stadiums ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
What it means for you: travel is getting easier every year. The high-speed line between Tangier and Casablanca makes a north-to-south route simple.
The catch: Aït Benhaddou is now busy with tour buses by late morning. Stay nearby and visit early.
4. Australia
Australia has two major attractions in late 2027, including the Rugby World Cup, which takes place from October 1 to November 13. In the same month the tournament starts, Qantas plans to launch its Project Sunrise nonstop flights from Sydney to London, with Sydney to New York to follow, according to Upgraded Points. Flights of up to 22 hours will replace journeys that currently need a stop.
What it means for you: if the long journey has kept you away, 2027 is the year it gets easier. Tickets for the new flights are expected to go on sale in February 2027.
The catch: hotels in host cities will be expensive on match weekends. Make time to explore areas beyond the cities during your trip.
5. Brazil
Brazil was the top trending country in the Americas in Skyscanner's 2026 research, and it hosts the FIFA Women's World Cup from June 24 to July 25, 2027.
What it means for you: June and July are the dry season in much of the northeast, a good time to see the dune lagoons of Lençóis Maranhães, which fill up between June and September.
The catch: it's a huge country, and distances between host cities are long. Pick one region instead of chasing matches across Brazil.
6. Lima, Peru
The Pan American Games will take place in Lima from July 23 to August 1, 2027. That brings new sports venues and a lot of attention to a city many visitors used to skip on the way to Cusco.
What it means for you: give Lima at least three days. Its restaurants are among the most celebrated in South America, and dishes such as ceviche and tiradito are best here.
The catch: the Games fall in Lima's gray winter. Plan any beach time for December to April instead.
7. South Africa
South Africa will co-host the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 21, 2027. That's spring in the Southern Hemisphere, a very good time for both city breaks and safaris.
What it means for you: you can combine a Test-cricket city like Cape Town with the Winelands and a few days in Kruger or a private reserve.
The catch: safari lodges have limited rooms, and cricket fans will fill them. Book lodges before flights.
Destinations pulled by new flights, search data and cultural titles
8. Japan, beyond Tokyo and Kyoto
Japan broke its visitor record in 2025, with 42.7 million international arrivals, 15.8% more than the year before, according to Nippon.com. The pressure on the classic Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka route has pushed many repeat visitors further out. Okinawa had one of the fastest-growing search volumes on Expedia's 2026 list (+71%), and new routes such as American Airlines' Chicago–Tokyo service add more seats.
What it means for you: try Okinawa's islands, the Tōhoku region in the northeast, or Shikoku's temple trail. You get the same food, trains and safety as the big cities with far fewer visitors.
The catch: Kyoto now charges an accommodation tax of up to ¥10,000 a night on its priciest rooms, and cities are adding tourist fees. Budget for them.
9. Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Phu Quoc searches grew 53% on Expedia's 2026 list. Vietnam is expanding the island's airport and building a light rail line before it hosts the APEC summit in 2027, as VnExpress reports.
What it means for you: better connections and more hotels, on one of Southeast Asia's better-value beach islands.
The catch: during the summit itself, expect security restrictions and higher hotel prices. Check the dates and travel either side of them.
10. Costa Rica's Caribbean coast
Limón Province was Skyscanner's top trending destination for 2026, with flight searches up 289%, according to The Tico Times. Most visitors to Costa Rica head to the Pacific side, so the Caribbean coast has long been the quieter alternative.
What it means for you: watch turtles nest in Tortuguero, snorkel the reef in Cahuita, and enjoy the Afro-Caribbean food and reggae bars of Puerto Viejo.
The catch: it rains more on this coast than on the Pacific side. September and October are often the driest months here, the opposite of the Pacific coast.
11. Évora, Portugal
Évora is one of the two European Capitals of Culture for 2027, and its program opens on February 6. The organizers expect the town's yearly visitors to double to about 1.2 million. Skyscanner also found that travelers to Portugal book further ahead than average, about 110 days.
What it means for you: a year of concerts, exhibitions and food events in a UNESCO-listed walled town, about 90 minutes from Lisbon by train.
The catch: the town has a limited number of hotel rooms. If they're full, look at farm stays and wine estates in the Alentejo countryside.
12. Big Sky, Montana, USA
Big Sky had the biggest search increase on Expedia's 2026 Destinations of the Year list, at +92%. It's a ski resort in winter and a base for Yellowstone National Park, about an hour away, in summer.
What it means for you: one destination for two very different trips.
The catch: it's not cheap. Lift tickets and resort hotels are priced at the premium end of US ski resorts.
The bigger picture behind 2027 demand
The destinations above are part of a wider shift in how people choose where to go.
• Crowds are pushing people sideways. In Skyscanner's 2026 survey, about a quarter of travelers (26%) said they wanted less crowded places, and 31% planned to travel in shoulder season. The effect is visible in Japan, where interest is moving from Kyoto to Okinawa and Tōhoku, and in Greece, where the mainland is gaining on the islands.
• People still plan to travel. The same survey found 83% of travelers expected to take at least as many trips in 2026 as in 2025. Travel budgets are holding up, but people are choosing more carefully where they spend.
• Films are now a travel guide. Film tourism isn't new, but big productions with international locations, like The Odyssey, are driving specific itineraries.
• Flights shape demand. The travel advisory firm SmartFlyer lists new nonstop routes as one of its key trends for 2027, citing examples such as United's Newark–Málaga service and SAS's flights from Copenhagen to Phuket and Krabi.
Booking a trending place without paying the trend premium
1. Go in the year the signal appears, not the year after. Film-driven demand usually peaks in the following season. If you can travel sooner, you'll pay less.
2. Travel a week either side of events. You'll catch some of the atmosphere without event pricing.
3. Stay one town over. Nafplio instead of a resort on the Peloponnese coast, Salina instead of Lipari, Ouarzazate instead of Aït Benhaddou itself.
4. Book flexible rates early. Reserve free-cancellation rooms as soon as dates are fixed, and rebook if prices drop.
5. Set alerts on several airports. New routes often launch with introductory fares, and nearby airports may be cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
What is the top trending destination for 2027?
Greece has the strongest momentum, driven by The Odyssey and new hotels. Australia is close behind, with the Rugby World Cup and new nonstop flights from Sydney to London both arriving in October 2027.
When will the big travel sites publish their 2027 trend lists?
Lonely Planet released its 2027 list in September 2026. Skyscanner, Expedia and Booking.com typically publish theirs between October and December.
Do trending destinations get more expensive?
Usually, yes, especially near events. Booking six to nine months ahead and traveling outside peak weeks helps keep costs down.
How can I find the next trending destination myself?
Watch for new nonstop routes, big film and TV releases shot on location, sporting events and cultural titles. When two or more of these point at the same place, demand usually rises soon after.