UN Tourism’s latest World Tourism Barometer highlights several countries posting strong growth in international arrivals in 2025. That usually means easier access and more options for travelers, but it can also mean tighter prices and busier “icon” spots if you don’t plan with a little intention.
Summary:
Travel trends can be useful, but only if you read them like a traveler, not like a headline. When a destination jumps fast in arrival numbers, it often brings more flights and more choice, yet it can also turn the most famous areas into a queue if you arrive at the obvious time of year.
UN Tourism’s latest barometer is basically a snapshot of where demand moved in 2025. In this guide, we focus on Iceland, Japan, Brazil, and Egypt, then turn those numbers into simple planning moves you can use to travel in 2026 with less friction and more room to breathe.
A destination “surging” does not automatically mean it has become unbearable. It means demand is rising quickly, and that affects availability, pricing, and flow.
Here is what usually shifts first:
If you want the same destination with a different feel, the trick is rarely secret. It is timing, pacing, and geography, so you avoid doing the “default route” at the “default hour.”
Iceland shows the strongest growth in Europe in the barometer, up 29% in international arrivals. The landscapes do the heavy lifting, but the report also points to increased interest in aurora travel, linked to heightened solar activity after a solar maximum toward late 2024.
The source also mentions a total solar eclipse expected in August across parts of Iceland, which can attract a wave of “once in a lifetime” planners. If you plan around this, keep your itinerary flexible, because weather still decides whether you get the moment you came for.
To keep Iceland from feeling like a checklist:
Japan’s increase is clear in the barometer, with +17% arrivals up to November 2025 compared with 2024. Japan can handle visitors better than many places, but crowd pressure still hits hard where everyone concentrates on the same triangle, often Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.
If you want a smoother trip, do not fight the popularity. Reframe it. Choose one classic base, then add a quieter counterpoint that gives you contrast and recovery.
Practical ways to keep Japan calm:
Brazil posts one of the biggest jumps in the barometer, up 37% across the year. The report links the surge to cultural draw and major attention moments, including Rio de Janeiro being named UNESCO World Book Capital in 2025, plus a high profile free concert on Copacabana Beach.
Egypt rises 20%, and the source connects part of that demand to museum momentum. It cites the partial opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in October 2024 and an official inauguration in November 2025, which likely pushed Egypt higher on many travelers’ lists.
If you are deciding between the two, choose based on your travel rhythm:
Here is the quick comparison:
Growth rankings are not instructions. They are a signal. If you use the signal well, you can still have a great trip, even in a busy year, because you will book the few things that matter and leave room for the rest.
Use this simple approach:
If you want alternatives that are also rising in the same barometer, the report cites Morocco (+14%) and Seychelles (+13%), plus strong increases up to November for Bhutan (+30%), Guyana (+24%), and South Africa (+19%). These can be useful if you want a similar “trend energy” with a different atmosphere.
My name is Vincent Mabire. I’m from Marseille, Head of Customer Service at Ulysse, and a writer for Ulysse News. I cover travel news, destinations, and developments in the tourism industry. My work involves analyzing information, providing context, and producing clear content to help readers better understand the issues and challenges related to travel. contact : vincent@ulysse.com

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