3 Destinations Popular With European Vacationers That Haven't Drawn American Crowds Yet

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• Siem Reap, Cambodia, Okinawa, Japan, and Calabria, Italy are trending travel destinations for Europeans.
• Siem Reap offers culture, wellness, fine dining, and access to temples and diverse landscapes.
• Okinawa provides a peaceful getaway with world-class diving, beaches, and the historic Shurijo Castle.
• Calabria boasts stunning beaches, rugged mountains, and lush forests, attracting tourists with new low-cost flights.

Europeans and Americans often have a different take on life, and that extends to their preferred vacation destinations. Maybe our cousins across the Atlantic go to these places to escape us, or maybe they’re just forging a trail. 

“Europeans know how to maximize their annual leave and, we’re seeing new destinations emerge as European travelers plot out their trips for 2025,” Laura Lindsay, the Global Travel Trends Expert at online booking platform Skyscanner, told USA TODAY in a statement. “Siem Reap, Cambodia, Okinawa, Japan, and Calabria, Italy have all seen a massive surge in searches in the last year from French, Italian, Spanish and British travelers. These destinations have not yet started to trend for American travelers, but historically we do see Americans adopt European favorites after they become popular ‘over the pond’. We expect to see searches for these destinations rising for American travelers soon.” 

So why are these destinations so popular, and what will it cost you to get there? 

Here’s what to know before you plan your next trip, according to Lindsay. 

Cambodia launched a new tourism promotion for Siem Reap in 2024, bolstered by the opening of a new airport in 2023. 

According to Lindsay, Siem Reap has become a destination for culture, wellness and fine dining. It’s also the gateway to the temples of Angkor and close to various landscapes from tropical rainforests to lakeside beaches. 

Round-trip airfare is available from the U.S. in the $750 to $950 range between March and August, according to Skyscanner data. 

Japan is at the top of many must-visit lists this year, in part because a favorable exchange rate makes it especially affordable for American visitors. 

According to Lindsay, the island of Okinawa can be a more peaceful getaway than other parts of Japan, and has a world-class diving and beaches. 

It’s also home to the UNESCO-listed Shurijo Castle. 

Round-trip airfare is available from the U.S. in the $500 to $600 range between March and October, according to Skyscanner data.  

Although it’s closer to home for Europeans, Calabria is seeing an influx of tourists thanks to new low-cost flights on the continent. 

“Steeped in history, the Calabria region in southern Italy is made up of rugged mountains, rolling terrain and lush forests. It features some of the most beautiful and unspoiled beaches in Italy, along the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts,” Lindsay said. 

Round-trip airfare from the U.S. is available in the $450 to $650 range between March and May. 

Some of the other places that are spiking in popularity for European visitors include: 

• Horta, Portugal 
• Porto Santo, Portugal 
• Grand'Anse Mahé, Seychelles 
• Victoria, Seychelles 

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.