A whopping 71 per cent of Aussies are concerned about overtourism, with the majority feeling frustrated or overwhelmed by the number of tourists when travelling, according to a new survey. Intrepid Travel’s 2025 Not Hot List has 10 lesser-known destinations to avoid the crowds and experience somewhere new.
The Intrepid Travel research also shows 76 per cent of Aussies find lesser-known destinations appealing, citing experiencing a new culture and gaining a new perspective as the top two motivators.
Intrepid’s annual Not Hot List, developed with Globetrender travel trend agency, collates 10 lesser-known destinations worldwide, which will introduce new initiatives, offerings and infrastructure to support and promote tourism in 2025.
Combating overtourism
Intrepid takes a multi-pronged approach to overtourism through its product design with smaller average group sizes of 10 travellers and using local leaders, locally owned accommodation and suppliers.
Intrepid Travel General Manager of Global Product Erica Kritikides said: “Our annual Not Hot List strives to bring travellers off the tourist track and inspire them to consider lesser-known destinations while helping to spread the benefits of tourism to places where it can have an outsized positive impact on communities and local economies.”
“Developing tourism in concert and consultation with host communities is the best way to combat the negative effects of overtourism,” she said.
On the 2025 Not Hot List:
1. Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
This remote region within Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range attracts fewer than 20,000 hikers per year. Intrepid also offers a 10-day Pakistan trekking trip and a 12-day Pakistan Women’s Expedition, which debuted in 2023.
2. (Qeqertarsuaq) Disko Island, Greenland
A brand-new, 10-day Intrepid Greenland Expedition offers an alternative to cruising with a land-based way to explore the diverse landscapes of this emerging destination on foot, highlighting modern life above the Arctic Circle.
3. Cape York, Australia
At the northernmost tip of Queensland, Cape York is relatively unknown among international travellers. Intrepid will offer an 11-day Cape York & Torres Strait Explorer tour to support Indigenous tourism at one of Australia’s lesser-known destinations.
4. Adirondacks, New York
Located in Upstate New York, break out of NYC to explore the naturally wild beauty of this mountainous and wilderness area with a new 55km Adirondack Rail Trail for skiers, hikers and bikers coming in 2025.
5. Sainshand, Mongolia
Stop at remote villages such as Sainshand in the Gobi Desert on Intrepid’s newly introduced 11-day Trans-Mongolian Railway Adventure, a lesser-travelled route compared to the popular Trans-Siberian.
6. Rupununi Savannah, Guyana
One of South America’s lesser-known destinations, Rupununi Savannah in Guyana is a vast green space offering a combination of natural beauty, wildlife, cultural experiences and adventure, including the world’s longest single-drop waterfall, Kaieteur Falls.
7. Anti-Atlas Mountains, Morocco
While Morocco is a popular destination, the Anti-Atlas Mountains are an alternative region often missed by visitors. Intrepid’s South Morocco Discovery trip offers insights into its lush valleys and picturesque villages in one of the country’s lesser-known destinations.
8. Accra, Ghana
The new 15-Day Benin, Togo & Ghana Adventure trip will take travellers to rarely visited spots in Ghana, such as the vibrant capital, Accra, and Teshie-Nungua where artisans craft ‘art fantasy coffins’ as well as other creative endeavours.
9. Maldonado, Uruguay
If the name seems familiar, you’ll recognise Maldonado as an emerging wine region in South America. Lined with vineyards and olive trees that hint at Tuscany, it’s also a creative, gastronomic and cultural hub.
10. Oslo, Norway
Recently the subject of a cheeky tourism campaign that highlighted its under-the-radar appeal, the quirky Norwegian capital is ideal for Euro city culture minus the crowds with floating saunas, arty communities and international cuisine.
Find out more at intrepidtravel.com
