Travel

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
Choicest digs: 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.