The surfing loop on the internet has been fueled.
Clips about duplicate destinations or “dupes” – often cheaper and less crowded alternatives to tourist hotspots – are popular on TikTok.
And travel website Expedia has identified 10 “scammers” who have skyrocketed flight searches.
The list includes a UK city with almost as many museums as London, a dreamy alternative to sunny Santorini and a notable swap for Nashville.
Scroll down to see the full list, along with which hotspots they can be traded with. Are you tempted to switch?
Swap Seoul for Taipei – 2,768 percent more flight searches
LEFT: Seoul, the capital of South Korea, has become a hub for tech startups, food culture and fun nightlife. RIGHT: Taipei “quietly did the same thing”, with flight searches up 2,786 percent last year
Seoul, the capital of South Korea, has become “a hub for tech startups, food culture and fun nightlife,” according to Expedia.
Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, “quietly did the same thing,” the country says, with flight searches up 2,786 percent last year.
Swap Bangkok for Pattaya – 249 percent increase
Expedia recommends swapping Bangkok (the city’s Grand Palace is pictured to the left) for Pattaya, which is “full of culture and entertainment.”
If you like the idea of flying to Thailand and getting lost in the local culture, Pattaya is a good alternative to the more popular city of Bangkok, according to Expedia.
Like the capital, Pattaya is full of culture and entertainment, from ancient temples to night markets to bars – with the added bonus of being on the coast. And it’s a lot less pressure.
Swap Santorini for Paros – 193 percent increase
Greece is the key word: both Santorini (left) and Paros (right) exude Cycladic charm
“It’s hard to go wrong with a postcard-perfect Greek island in the Aegean,” says Expedia.
“But in Paros you’ll find fewer crowds (a 193 percent increase) than in popular Santorini.”
For history buffs, the site recommends the ancient marble quarries of Paros and the Ekatontapiliani church, which will “give as much food for thought as the Venetian castle of Santorini.”
Swap Sint Maarten for Curaçao – 185 percent increase
“Like Sint Maarten (left), the Dutch island nation of Curaçao (right) in the Caribbean offers a one-two punch when it comes to diving – the coral formations of the Mushroom Forest and Cave are a must-see,” says Expedia
What do Sint Maarten and Curaçao (an increase of 228 percent) have in common, besides the fact that they are both in the Caribbean?
Expedia has the answer: “Sparkling beaches, crystal clear water, world class diving?” Check, check and check.
Swap Sydney for Perth – An increase of 109 percent
Unlike the Opera House (left) and Sydney’s Harbor Bridge (right), Perth’s waterfront attractions (right) are “not as famous”, but the area is “just as beautiful”, says Expedia
These two Australian cities both offer “beaches and tons of urban culture,” says Expedia.
And while Perth’s waterfront attractions are said to be “not as famous” as Sydney’s Opera House and Harbor Bridge, the area is “just as beautiful”.
The travel website adds: “And Perth’s Cottesloe Beach rivals Sydney’s Bondi.”
Swap London for Liverpool – 97 per cent increase
“A trip to London (left) is a reliable success, but a trip further north to Liverpool is more surprising,” says Expedia. The photo on the right shows Liverpool’s Municipal Hotel
Tired of London? Try Liverpool instead, which Expedia says is also “full of art and culture.”
It continues: “Of course, a trip to London is a reliable success, but a trip further north to Liverpool is more surprising.”
The “fraud” city has the most museums and galleries in Great Britain next to London, including the Tate Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum – alternatives to London’s Tate Modern and the National Maritime Museum.
Swap Lisbon for Palermo – 89 percent increase
Lisbon (left) is a gem, but prices have risen there. Palermo (right) in Sicily is a good alternative for an enchanting city trip by the sea
“Ten years ago, the Portuguese capital Lisbon was included in every travel guide as the new ‘it’ city and touted as an overlooked European gem,” says Expedia.
“Now the secret is out and prices have risen accordingly.”
If you missed the boat on a visit to Lisbon before the city was so popular, Palermo, Sicily may be your next best bet for a charming, affordable city break by the sea.
Exchange Geneva for Quebec City – 60 percent increase
Quebec City (right) reflects many of the characteristics of Geneva (left), with a well-preserved old town and a multilingual culture – and sits on a prominent body of water
Situated on a prominent body of water, Geneva has a well-preserved old town full of historical significance, cobbled streets and a multilingual culture. And a trip to Quebec City offers all of that, too.
So says Expedia, which recommends the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec as “an easy dupe for the Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève.”
Swap Zermatt for Sapporo – 38 percent increase
LEFT: No cars are allowed in the Swiss ski mecca of Zermatt; travel is by public transport or horse-drawn carriages. RIGHT: The Japanese ski town of Sapporo has its own charming means of transportation: an extensive tram system
Sapporo is a “beautiful ski resort, a little further than the Alps,” says Expedia, which saw a 38 percent increase in searches for flights to the Japanese destination – a “shine” to the more popular Swiss ski resort Zermatt.
“No cars are allowed in Zermatt, which means you can go by bike, on foot, by public transport or by horse-drawn carriage,” says the company.
“In the ski paradise of Sapporo, there is a similarly attractive means of transportation: an extensive tram system.”
Trade Nashville for Memphis – 16 percent increase
Photos show an uncanny resemblance between the famous honky-tonks on Broadway in Nashville (left) and the blues clubs on Beale Street in Memphis (right).
If you’re a fan of live music, Memphis might be a less crowded destination than Nashville.
Photographs show an uncanny resemblance between the famous honky-tonks on Broadway in Nashville and the blues clubs on Beale Street in Memphis, both lined with colorful neon signs.
“Memphis is to blues and soul what Nashville is to country music,” says Expedia.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
