Swap London for Liverpool and Santorini for Paros: ten holiday hotspots and the (often cheaper and less busy) ‘duplicates’ taking the internet by storm. Are you tempted?
The internet’s wanderlust has been sparked.
Clips about duplicate destinations, or ‘dupes’ – often cheaper and less crowded alternatives to tourist hotspots – are trending on TikTok.
And travel site Expedia has identified ten ‘dupes’ that have seen flight searches skyrocket.
The list includes a city in Britain with almost as many museums as London, a dreamy alternative to sunny Santorini and a remarkable swap for Nashville.
Scroll down for the full list, combined with the hotspots they can be traded for. Are you tempted to switch?
Swap Seoul for Taipei – 2,768 percent increase in flight searches
LEFT: Seoul, the capital of South Korea, has become a hub for tech startups, foodie culture and fun nightlife. RIGHT: Taipei has ‘quietly done the same’, with flight searches up 2,786 percent in the past year
Seoul, the capital of South Korea, has become “a hub for tech startups, foodie culture and fun nightlife,” according to Expedia.
Taiwan’s capital Taipei has “quietly done the same”, the country says, with flight searches increasing by 2,786 percent in the past year.
Swap Bangkok for Pattaya – increase of 249 percent
Expedia recommends swapping Bangkok (the city’s Grand Palace is pictured 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 benefit of being on the coast. And it’s much less crowded.
Swap Santorini for Paros – increase of 193 percent
Greece is the word: both Santorini (left) and Paros (right) exude Cycladic charm
“It’s hard to go wrong with a Greek island in the Aegean that’s as postcard perfect,” says Expedia.
‘But in Paros you will encounter fewer crowds (an increase of 193 percent) than in popular Santorini.’
For history buffs, the site recommends the ancient marble quarries of Paros and the Ekatontapiliani Church, which ‘will give you as much food for thought as the Venetian Castle of Santorini’.
Exchange Sint Maarten for Curaçao – increase of 185 percent
‘Like Sint Maarten (left), the Dutch Caribbean island nation of Curacao (right) offers a one-two punch of diving – the coral formations of the Mushroom Forest and cave are a must,’ says Expedia
What do Sint Maarten and Curaçao (an increase of 228 percent) have in common, other than that they are both in the Caribbean?
Expedia has the answer: ‘Shining beaches, crystal clear water, top diving? Check, check and check.”
Trade Sydney for Perth – An increase of 109 percent
Unlike the Opera House (left) and Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Perth’s waterfront attractions (right) are ‘not as well known’, but the area is ‘just as beautiful’, says Expedia
These two Australian cities both offer “beaches and plenty of urban culture,” says Expedia.
And while it is noted that Perth’s waterfront sights are ‘not as well known’ as Sydney’s Opera House and Harbor Bridge, the area is ‘just as beautiful’.
The travel site adds: ‘And Perth’s Cottesloe Beach can go toe-to-toe with Sydney’s Bondi.’
Swap London for Liverpool – 97 percent increase
“A trip to London (left) is a reliable hit, 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? Instead, try Liverpool, which is just as “packed with art and culture,” says Expedia.
It adds: ‘Sure, a trip to London is a reliable hit, but a trip further north to Liverpool is more surprising.’
The ‘dupe’ city has the most museums and galleries in Britain apart from 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 – increase of 89 percent
Lisbon (left) is a gem, but prices have risen there. Palermo (right) in Sicily is a great alternative to a charming city trip by the sea
“Ten years ago, the Portuguese capital Lisbon entered every travel guide as the new ‘it’ city, heralded 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 its popularity took off, Palermo in Sicily could be your next best choice when it comes to a charming, affordable city escape by the sea.
Swap Geneva for Quebec City – 60 percent increase
Quebec City (right) mirrors many of the characteristics of Geneva (left), with a well-preserved Old Town and a multilingual culture – and sits on a striking body of water
Located on a striking body of water, Geneva has a well-preserved Old Town full of historical significance, is lined with cobblestone streets, and has a multilingual culture. And a trip to Québec City has all of these things 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 – increase of 38 percent
LEFT: No cars are allowed in the Swiss ski mecca Zermatt, where you travel by public transport or horse-drawn carriage. RIGHT: The Japanese ski town of Sapporo has its own charming mode of transportation: an extensive system of trams
Sapporo is a “beautiful ski destination a little further away than the Alps”, says Expedia, which saw a 38 percent increase in searches for flights to the Japanese destination – a “dupe” for the more popular Swiss ski center Zermatt.
“No cars are allowed in Zermatt, which means you travel by bicycle, on foot, by public transport or by horse-drawn carriage,” the company says.
‘In the skiing paradise of Sapporo you will find a similarly charming mode of transport: an extensive system of trams.’
Trade Nashville for Memphis – 16 percent increase
Photos show an uncanny resemblance between the famous honky-tonks of Nashville’s Broadway (left) and the blues clubs of Beale Street, Memphis (right)
If you’re a fan of live music, Memphis may be a less crowded destination than Nashville.
Photos show an uncanny resemblance between the famous honky-tonks of Nashville’s Broadway and the blues clubs of Beale Street, Memphis, both lined with colorful neon signs.
“Memphis is to blues and soul what Nashville is to country music,” says Expedia.