Expedia has released its top destinations for 2025 with locations in the United States, Japan and Italy.
Big Sky in the Rocky Mountains, U.S., was ranked as the top destination, with a 92% increase in search interest from 2024.
Travel Expert for Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, Melanie Fish, told CNBC that Big Sky seemingly “came out of nowhere” but its “long been known for world-class outdoor recreation, skiing and snowboarding in the winter and hiking, mountain biking and rafting in the summer”.
In second place was Okinawa, Japan, where search interest rose by 71%.
Japan has become a travel hotspot in recent years due to a weak yen and lifted restrictions. Due to this, some cities like Kyoto have begun to introduce tourist taxes to curb overcrowding.
Okinawa is emerging as an alternative destination in Japan to large cities like Tokyo and Osaka.
It also meets Expedia’s “Smart Travel Health Check” framework.
“What we see in Okinawa is that they are taking proactive environmental measures like coral reef restoration, they’re moving towards a decarbonised economy by using renewable energy sources,” Fish says.
“They’re celebrating local heritage and making sure visitors have educational opportunities.”
While Japan is becoming a top destination for Australians, data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics last week did not list Japan as one of the top destinations for August.
The only Australian destination to reach the top 10 was Hobart, which had a 25% increase in searches.
Half of the Australians surveyed by Expedia reported that they’re keen to swap the stress of over-planned trips for more peaceful scapes in smaller towns and to explore their own backyard.
2026 Destinations of the Year - Beyond the Crowds
- Big Sky, Montana, U.S.
- Okinawa, Japan
- Sardinia, Italy
- Phu Quoc, Vietnam
- Savoie, France
- Fort Walton Beach, Florida, U.S.
- Ucluelet, Canada
- Cotswolds, U.K.
- San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
- Hobart, Australia
