These Are the 19 Most Popular Travel Destinations of 2019, According to Airbnb

Time to start planning that New Year’s getaway.

Zeynep Yenisey

Dec 6, 2018

(Photo: Getty)

For those of you thinking about your next vacation but are drawing a blank on where to go, we’re here to help.

Airbnb just released a list of their 19 top-trending destinations for 2019 (19 for 2019…get it?) to give you some inspiration to help you plan your next trip, and to offer a healthy dose of wanderlust.

1. Kaikoura, New Zealand

GettyImages-108475943 — Kaikoura, New Zealand.

Topping the list as the number one travel destination for next year is the coastal town of Kaikoura, New Zealand, famous for its natural wonders, wildlife, and impressive sperm whale population.

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Tourism in Kaikoura went down drastically after a devastating earthquake in 2016, but bookings have already gone up 295 percent for the upcoming year.

2. Xiamen, China

GettyImages-51343727 — A statue of the Chinese General Koxinga in Xiamen.

The number two top trending destination is the ancient port city of Xiamen, China, which saw a 283 percent increase in bookings. The city faces Taiwan, and according to Airbnb, is a must-go for seafood lovers.

It’s also home to the island Gulàng Yu — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — that is strictly vehicle-free.

3. Puebla, Mexico

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Third on the list is Puebla, Mexico, a rustic city only two hours from Mexico City. The city saw a 240 percent increase in searches, and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the architecture is among the biggest attractions and is known as “the cradle of Mexican Baroque.”

4. Normandy, France

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Two hours from Paris by train, Normandy is a region of France that’s incredibly rich with thousands of years of history, and saw a 229 percent increase in bookings for the year to come. Heavy Gothic architecture, D-Day beaches, and the towering monastery on Mont Saint Michel makes Normandy perfect for history buffs.

5. Great Smoky Mountains, US

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Rounding out the top 5 is the Great Smoky Mountains in the good ol’ U.S. of A, with bookings increasing 191 percent. Yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site (noticing a trend here), the mountain range runs along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, and is actually America’s most visited national park.

Here are the rest of the 19 top-trending vacation destinations for 2019: