Twenty global destinations have emerged as the premier travel picks for 2026, highlighting locations that prioritise community support, environmental protection, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
These sites offer transformative experiences where tourism serves as a tool for positive impact, encouraging visitors to engage with unique landscapes and local traditions.
Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District enters its defining phase with the opening of TeamLab Phenomena and the Zayed National Museum, while the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi expects a late 2026 launch.
Algeria, the “sleeping beauty” of African tourism, aims for 12 million annual visitors by 2030 through new visa-on-arrival policies and the promotion of Roman ruins at Timgad and Djémila.
In the Pacific, the Cook Islands are strengthening protections for the Marae Moana marine park as Jetstar prepares to launch direct Brisbane-Rarotonga flights in May 2026.
Australia marks the 40th anniversary of the Uluru Handback with the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Signature Walk, a new five-day journey through sacred lands,. Indonesia’s Komodo Islands celebrate their 45th anniversary with enhanced conservation programmes for wild Komodo dragons.
European highlights include Oulu, Finland, which will serve as a European Capital of Culture with a year-long programme featuring the Arctic Food Lab.
Portugal’s Guimarães celebrates 25 years of UNESCO World Heritage status and its title as Europe’s Green Capital for 2026.
Montenegro marks its 20th anniversary of sovereignty by promoting the Prokletije mountain range as a premier hiking destination. In Scotland, the Hebrides are unveiling a visitor centre for the Calanais Standing Stones and adding new distilleries to Islay.
In the Americas, Philadelphia prepares for the United States’ 250th anniversary and FIFA World Cup matches.
Canada’s Slocan Valley introduces the Japanese Canadian Legacy Trail to honour those displaced during World War Two. Mexico’s Loreto is developing two new national parks, Nopoló and Loreto II, to protect desert canyons and mangroves.
Chile’s Colchagua Valley marks the 30th anniversary of its Wine Route, while Uruguay highlights its 98 percent renewable electricity grid. Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula expands protected corridors for jaguars and migratory sharks. Oregon’s coast promotes inclusive travel with new beach wheelchairs and EV-charging networks,.
Elsewhere, Kenya’s Samburu County focuses on astrotourism and elephant conservation, while Santo Domingo of the Dominican Republic prepares for the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games following the restoration of its Zona Colonial.
Cambodia’s Phnom Penh anticipates the opening of the Techo International Airport to boost global access. Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture urges visitors to return to the Noto peninsula to support recovery following the 2024 earthquake.
