The 20 Fastest-growing Travel Destinations in the World

Ho Ngoc Binh/Getty Images

Every year, the United Nations World Tourism Organization tracks travel trends to predict the newest up-and-coming destinations.

The organization tracks international visitators and presents information about which countries are spiking interest. And over the past year, some unlikely countries have emerged as frontrunners.

Despite long-standing conflict in the Middle East, more visitors are venturing to countries like Palestine, Egypt and Tunisia. South American destinations, like Uruguay and Chile, have also seen impressive growth over the past year.

If you’re looking to travel to the coolest destinations before everybody else, consider this list your guide.

Start Slideshow

1 of 20

1. Palestinian Territories

Yadid Levy/Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery

Over the past year, international tourist visits to Palestine increased almost 58 percent. The West Bank sees the most visitors around Christmas when Bethlehem hosts a midnight mass.

2 of 20

2. Egypt

Saif Alsadoon/Getty Images/EyeEm

As violence in the country decreases, tourism numbers increased 51 percent in Egypt last year. Tourists can visit ancient monuments like the Pyramids of Giza or something more modern, like a screaming room at this bookstore.

3 of 20

3. Northern Mariana Islands

Raquel Bagnol/Getty Images

This U.S. territory saw 37-percent tourist growth over the past year. The tropical archipelago, northeast of Guam, is known for its casinos and beaches lined with palm trees.

4 of 20

4. Iceland

Paul Harris/Getty Images

Since 2010, tourists in Iceland have tripled. And trends continued last year, with a 35 percent increase. Visitors tend to go between June and August, when the weather is kinder and there are more hours of daylight.

5 of 20

5. Tunisia

Jon Arnold/Getty Images

Tunisia is recovering from its 2015 terrorist attack fairly quickly. The country had a 33-percent increase in tourists last year. Tourists are heading back to the country for its resorts, beaches and preserved ancient history.

6 of 20

6. Vietnam

Ho Ngoc Binh/Getty Images

Vietnam showed the most tourism growth in Asia this past year, with a 31 percent growth in arrivals. The country is equally beloved by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and students on their gap year.

7 of 20

7. Uruguay

Getty Images

Some people are calling Uruguay South America’s latest hot spot. Over the past year, 3 million people visited the country — a 30-percent increase from the previous year, according to UNWTO. Be sure to visit the capital of Montevideo and attempt some celebrity spotting on the beaches of Punta del Este.

8 of 20

8. Nicaragua

Bjorn Holland/Getty Images

An estimated 1.5 million people visited Nicaragua in 2016, a 28-percent increase year-over-year. It’s an affordable Central American destination that’s less crowded than its neighbor, Costa Rica.

9 of 20

9. Mongolia

Getty Images

Tourism to Mongolia increased 28 percent last year. Tourists are drawn to Mongolia’s secluded resorts and the surprise overnight growth of the capital, Ulaanbaatar.

10 of 20

10. Israel

Alexander Spatari/Getty Images

Israel received 2.9 million visitors last year, a 25-percent increase over the previous year. Despite the fact that the country is only the size of New Jersey, it packs a historical punch. Tourists flock to the Dead Sea, the Western Wall and the nightlife of Tel Aviv.

11 of 20

11. Malta

Elena Eliachevitch/Getty Images

Despite the fact that one of Malta’s most popular tourist attractions, the Azure Window, crumbled into the sea earlier this year, visitation increased 23 percent. It’s become a popular location for shooting feature films, including “Gladiator,” “Captain Phillips” and even “the Da Vinci Code.”

12 of 20

12. Seychelles

Holger Leue/Getty Images/LOOK

When explorers first discovered the 115-island archipelago of Seychelles, they believed they had come across the Garden of Eden. Its popularity is growing, with a 20 percent increase in tourist visits over the past year.

13 of 20

13. Montenegro

Mario Guti/Getty Images

Montenegro could be giving its popular neighbor, Croatia, a run for its money. Over the past year, the Balkan country saw a 20-percent rise in tourism.

14 of 20

14. Chile

Getty Images

Another quickly-growing South American country is Chile, which also received 20 percent more tourists over the past year. Its diverse landscapes and environment make it a great destination for the outdoorsy types.

15 of 20

15. Oman

Hitesh Sawlani/Getty Images

This Middle Eastern country is cementing itself as bona fide luxury destination. UNWTO says that over the past year, it’s seen a 19 percent increase in tourism. Oman has only been open to tourists since the 1980s, so it’s still relatively unspoilt. Although, go quick: A new resort seems to open there every day.

16 of 20

16. Cyprus

Doug Pearson/Getty Images

Cyprus had an 18 percent increase in tourists over the past year. They’re likely all discovering the island’s treasure trove of beaches and ancient artifacts.

17 of 20

17. Armenia

Joel Carillet/Getty Images

Throughout its long history (over 3,000 years), Armenia has been plagued with conflict. However now, in more stable times, the country had an 18 percent growth in tourism over the past year. Because it was the world’s first Christian country, many of the most popular tourist attractions are monasteries that date back thousands of years.

18 of 20

18. Colombia

Getty Images

Maybe it’s partially because of the popularity of “Narcos,” but Colombia had 18 percent growth in tourism last year. In recent years, the country (and specifically the capital of Bogota) has become world renowned as a foodie destination.

19 of 20

19. Finland

Juha Tuomi/Getty Images/EyeEm

Finland is often overlooked in favor of other, more popular Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Denmark. However in the past year, it’s seen a 17 percent boost in tourism. Go to experience a traditional sauna, dine on reindeer meat and gaze up at the northern lights in Finnish Lapland.

20 of 20

20. Japan

Getty Images

Ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games, Japan is busy preparing for tourists. This past year, 17 percent more people visited the country. And tourists are venturing far outside of Tokyo; Osaka and Kyoto both saw increased tourism in the past year, too.

Replay gallery

Your Profile

The 20 Fastest-growing Travel Destinations in the World

1 of 20

1. Palestinian Territories

1 of 20

2 of 20

2. Egypt

2 of 20

3 of 20

3. Northern Mariana Islands

3 of 20

4 of 20

4. Iceland

4 of 20

5 of 20

5. Tunisia

5 of 20

6 of 20

6. Vietnam

6 of 20

7 of 20

7. Uruguay

7 of 20

8 of 20

8. Nicaragua

8 of 20

9 of 20

9. Mongolia

9 of 20

10 of 20

10. Israel

10 of 20

11 of 20

11. Malta

11 of 20

12 of 20

12. Seychelles

12 of 20

13 of 20

13. Montenegro

13 of 20

14 of 20

14. Chile

14 of 20

15 of 20

15. Oman

15 of 20

16 of 20

16. Cyprus

16 of 20

17 of 20

17. Armenia

17 of 20

18 of 20

18. Colombia

18 of 20

19 of 20

19. Finland

19 of 20

20 of 20

20. Japan

20 of 20

Share the Gallery

Up Next

Share the Gallery