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Americans have long known that Montana is one of the most beautiful places on the planet — and the rest of the world is quickly catching on.
Montana’s resort town ranked No. 1 in Big Sky 10-strong 2026 destination of the year The ranking by travel site Expedia – compiled from millions of travel searches – followed a 92 per cent increase in flights and accommodation searches.
Although researchers have not explained the surge, the so-called “Yellowstone effect” from the hit Paramount Network series may be a factor.
extremely popular drama stars kevin costner As the head of a farm established in a part Yellowstone National Park is located in Montana,
While the show’s Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is fictional, some filming takes place at the real-life Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana – and the story often revolves around efforts to develop the state’s pristine wilderness.
Big Sky is dominated by the iconic 11,166-foot-high Lone Peak and offers great skiing and snowboarding in the winter and hiking in the summer.
Other highlights of Montana include the spectacular Glacier National Park, which is home to more than 20 glaciers and 170 peaks, as well as two dozen beautiful hot springs.
2nd place in 2026 destination of the year goes to list OkinawaSearches for Japan and the archipelago increased by 71 percent. Okinawa is famous for its soft beaches and “blue zone” of longevity – where it is not unusual for people to live to more than 100.
Third place on the list, which is part of Expedia Unpack ’26 Travel Trends Report, goes to SardiniaItaly, (63 percent), while the rest of the top five include Phu Quoc, vietnam, (fourth, 53 percent) and Savoie, France ,(fifth, 51 percent), home of the Three Valleys, the world’s largest connected ski area, and world-class wines and cheeses.
Fort Walton Beach, Florida, (45 percent), comes in sixth place in the ranking, ahead of Ucluelet in British Columbia, Canada, (seventh, 44 percent); cotswoldsUnited Kingdom, (eighth, 39 percent); San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, (ninth, 30 percent); with Hobart, Australia, (10th, 25 percent) off the list.
The report also found that the slow travel movement – where the emphasis is on quality and simplicity over quick, fast travel to reach multiple destinations – is taking hold, with 84 percent of travelers expressing interest in staying on or near a farm.
Favorite farming activities include collecting eggs and feeding animals (preferred by 62 percent of respondents in one survey) and gardening or harvesting produce (42 percent).
Away from Yellowstone, the trend of traveling to destinations inspired by TV shows and movies – known as set-jetting – is also widely growing, according to the report.
Expedia It is claimed to be a potential $8 billion industry in the US alone.
Los Angeles also included in set-jetting forecast for 2026 no one wants this And yorkshire for in uk Wuthering Heights film and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,
Expedia said: “The annual global report highlights changes in traveler behavior and the destinations that will dominate itineraries in 2026.”
2026 destination of the year
- Big Sky, Montana, US (up to 92 percent search)
- Okinawa, Japan (71 percent)
- Sardinia, Italy (63 percent)
- Phu Quoc, Vietnam (53 percent)
- Savoie, France (51 percent)
- Fort Walton Beach, Florida, US (+45 percent)
- Ucluelet, Canada (44 percent)
- Cotswolds, UK (39 percent)
- San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (30 percent)
- Hobart, Australia (25 percent)