Asian cities top list of trending travel destinations

Asian travel heats up as tourists seek out long-haul trips

What you probably already know: Summer is all about vacations and this year, people are heading to Asia to escape. Tripadvisor has produced a list of trending destinations and the top five most popular locations are all in Asia, with Tokyo snagging the top spot, followed by Seoul, South Korea, Halong Bay, Vietnam, Palawan Island, Philippines, and Sapa, Vietnam.

Why? Tripadvisor’s head of editorial Sarah Firshein said the locations on the list all share a vibrant arts and cultural scene, great restaurants, and limitless attractions. She pointed out that this is the first year, post pandemic, that long-haul trips to Asia are on the list, now that pandemic restrictions have been almost entirely eliminated.

What it means: Other destinations include areas in Central and South America. Costa Rica comes in at No. 8 and Bogota, Columbia is No. 6. We wrote recently about the boom in tourism in Colombia, and the issues the country is having with American tourists using the country’s relatively liberal laws to turn it into a sex tourism destination. Of course, that’s a small fraction of the tourists who are seeking it out, now that safety is less of an issue than it has been in the past.

What happens now? Tripadvisor also produced a report on the best sustainable destinations for those who want to see a smaller environmental impact from their vacations. Europe leads the way when it comes to environmentally responsible cities, with eight of the top 10 cities on the list. Copenhagen is No. 1, followed by Stockholm, Bordeaux, and Helsinki. Singapore comes in at No. 5, and Melbourne, Australia also grabbed a spot on the list, despite the distance you need to travel to reach both places.