20 Destinations Due for a Huge Tourism Spike in 2020, According to Airbnb
The surprise winner? A humble Midwestern metropolis.
20. Maastricht, Netherlands The skinny: 55% increase in bookings; hosting global art fair TEFAF next year Choicest digs:Atmospheric Farmhouse
19. Malindi, Kenya The skinny: 88% increase; port town with unique access to diving spots Choicest digs:Pool View Villa
18. Kerala, India The skinny: 95% increase; calm, coastal region with sanctuaries for elephants, monkeys and tigers Choicest digs:Riverloft Kabani
17. Tokyo, Japan The skinny: 103% increase; hosting the 2020 Summer Olympics Choicest digs:Tasu Toco
16. Les Contamines-Montjoie, France The skinny: 108% increase; French Alpine village near Chamonix Choicest digs:Traditional Mountain Chalet
15. Ubatuba, Brazil The skinny: 108% increase; São Paulo’s surfing stronghold, with rainforest hiking trails nearby Choicest digs:Boutique Beachfront Loft
14. Courtenay, British Columbia The skinny: 114% increase; eco-friendly base camp for adventures on Vancouver Island Choicest digs:Riverfront Farm Tiny Home
13. Aberdeen, Scotland The skinny: 119% increase; northeastern city along the coast, one of Britain’s most “livable” cities Choicest digs:Red Door Apartment
12. Cape Canaveral, Florida The skinny: 136% increase; NASA launches its Mars 2020 Exploration program next June Choicest digs:Tradewind Cottages
11. Cali, Colombia The skinny: 137% increase; only Colombian city along the Pacific, known as the “salsa capital” Choicest digs:Grey Flat
10. Vanuatu The skinny: 140% increase; South Pacific archipelago nation with 80 islands, outdoor adventures Choicest digs:The Bunker
9. Guadalajara, Mexico The skinny: 158% increase; Mexico’s second biggest city, hosts a film festival and is the home of mariachi Choicestdigs: Casa Morelos
8. Luxembourg The skinny: 167% increase; the entire City of Luxembourg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has a ton of underrated wineries Choicest digs:Luxembourg City Studio
7. Eugene, Oregon The skinny: 213% increase; Going carbon neutral next year, hosting national qualifiers for track and field Choicest digs:Urban Whiteaker Cottage
6. Xi’an, China The skinny: 255% increase; home of China’s famous clay soldiers, launching a nighttime tour of the city next year Choicest digs: Ant Life Apartment
5. Romania The skinny: 298% increase; the southeastern Balkan nation has managed to protect its virgin Transylvanian forests Choicest digs:Transylvania Tree House
4. Sunbury, Victoria, Australia The skinny: 356% increase; suburb north of Melbourne with wineries, Melbourne’s hosting the ICC T20 next year (a cricket championship) Choicest digs:Weekend Cottage
3. Buriram, Thailand The skinny: 383% increase; province with Khmer Empire relics, hosting Grand Prix motorcycle racing next year Choicest digs:Private Townhouse
2. Bilbao, Spain The skinny: 402% increase; won European City of the Year in 2018, one of 12 host cities for 2020 European Cup Choicest digs:River View Studio
1. Milwaukee, Wisconsin The skinny: 729% increase; hosting the 2020 DNC, bike-happy, home to one of America’s most beautiful art museums (designed by Santiago Calatrava) Choicest digs:Charming Central Apartment
Airbnb recently compared bookings for 2020 with bookings made for 2019 at the same time last year, and managed to identify 20 delightfully random destinations across the globe due for a huge influx of visitors. The United States placed two surprising cities, including the number-one overall (which has seen an insane 729% increase), while other locales include far-flung South Pacific islands and towns in the foothills of British Columbia. Click through to catch all 20.
