More of Audley Travel’s premium clients are passing up some of travel’s biggest names as they plan their 2027 trips. The custom tour operator says they’re booking quieter alternatives instead, including a Pacific island chain that few travelers ever reach.
Crowds are a big part of the reason. Audley says rising visitor numbers across the destinations it sells have driven demand for places with similar experiences and fewer people, and the company says those places often feel more authentic. Alex Bentley, Audley’s head of product, shared where clients are going instead, from a valley in Japan to remote islands in French Polynesia.
These Pacific Islands See About 100 Visitors a Year
French Polynesia’s Austral Islands are one of the quieter picks on Bentley’s list. He said the islands are “the definition of untouched land, typically seeing about 100 visitors per year.” Bentley said Aranui’s new ship, Aranoa, will visit the archipelago and that its maiden voyage is in the spring.
Two more French Polynesian spots made his list. Bentley described Tikehau as very remote and a great place to see the Milky Way in the night sky, and he called the Marquesas Islands remote, too.
Skip the Japanese Alps for the Iya Valley
If a tour of the Japanese Alps is on your list, Bentley suggested another part of Japan instead: the tall peaks and gorges of the Iya Valley in Shikoku.
In China, Audley’s clients are choosing Shangri-La and Tiger Leaping Gorge instead of the busy mountain and river areas around Guilin and Yangshuo.
Some Clients Swap the Whole Country
Some Audley clients trade one country for another, chasing cherry blossoms or fall colors in South Korea rather than Japan.
If you love Italy for its weather, history, culture and food, Audley points clients to Croatia as an alternative.
Trade a Little Weather for Fewer Crowds
Audley says growing crowds are also part of why clients book trips in the off-season and accept the trade-offs. Bentley’s example is Switzerland in November, when you may give up some good weather but get more space on a panoramic train ride. The Bernina Express and Treno Gottardo both run year-round.
In Canada, bear watching in May can mean some town restaurants and attractions aren’t fully open yet. The payoff, Bentley said, is smaller crowds and a chance to see bear cubs fresh out of hibernation.
Pick the Feeling, Then the Place
Audley’s specialists report that more clients now talk about how they want to feel on a trip, not just what they want to see. Use that as your starting point. Figure out what you love about the famous spot, then look for a quieter place that gives you the same thing.