Even the ultrawealthy aren’t immune to the frustrations of overtourism.
As international tourism grows, many popular luxury destinations once associated with wealth and exclusivity are now packed with large crowds, long lines, and constant noise.
Rob DelliBovi, a luxury travel planner whose clients include celebrities and high-net-worth individuals, told Business Insider many of his clients feel crowded out of places that used to feel special. He said there’s a “continuing trend of our clients believing everything is too crowded and they need their own space.”
As a result, wealthy travelers are deliberately seeking out destinations that others tend to overlook, or that don’t yet have the infrastructure to accommodate swaths of more budget-minded travelers.
“They want to have their cake and eat it too, in terms of going to the popular places at the popular times, but enjoying peace and quiet and their own kind of experience,” DelliBovi said.
Instead of abandoning travel to dreamy but popular destinations like Italy and Japan, Dellibovi said his clients are ditching the hottest spots and gravitating toward quieter, alternative cities in countries that are grappling with overtourism.
“These secondary markets are building infrastructure to accommodate the wealthy and the cool and the rich and the famous,” he said.
Here are three secondary destinations that luxury travelers are visiting to avoid the crowds.
Puglia, Italy
Italy is one of the most strained countries in the world when it comes to overtourism, with cities like Venice, Rome, and Florence experiencing record numbers of tourists and mounting protests from locals.
“Italy is a disaster right now” in terms of crowds, Dellibovi said, adding that ultrawealthy travelers who “still want to go to Italy and eat like Italy” are skipping Rome and Florence and heading to Puglia instead.
Puglia, located in the southeastern region of Italy, is known for its whitewashed towns and clear Mediterranean coastlines, and countryside estates, making it an appealing choice for luxury travelers seeking private villas and quieter travel.
While Puglia is also experiencing a tourism boom, it’s not yet as crowded as some of the better-known travel destinations in Italy.
Paros, Greece
Greece is also facing issues associated with overtourism and protests, with popular hot spots, like Mykonos and Santorini, often overwhelmed by summer crowds and cruise ships.
DelliBovi said many of his clients are skipping those islands entirely. “People are going to Paros in Greece as opposed to Mykonos or Santorini,” he said.
Paros, another Greek island in the Aegean Sea, has become an attractive alternative for wealthy travelers because it combines beaches, picturesque villages, and nightlife, but without the crush of people. “There’s not 10,000 people at every restaurant. There’s not 5,000 people at every beach club,” Dellibovi said.
Tourism on Paros has increased steadily over the past decade, especially with luxury travelers, but it remains less developed and less chaotic than its more famous neighboring islands.
Japan’s status as one of the hottest destinations in tourism has also brought issues, especially in cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, where locals have protested tourism levels that they say are unsustainable.
Dellibovi said his clients are increasingly asking for alternatives. “People are like, ‘Okay, we want to go to Kyoto. What other places in Japan are cool, that are high-end, that have this infrastructure for us, but are not like we’re going to get run over by a mob of people?'”
Kanazawa, located on the opposite coast of Tokyo, is increasingly appealing to high-net-worth travelers who are looking for a similar cultural experience but with more privacy. The city has been called “Little Kyoto,” and is known for its art, dining scene, historic districts, and nature.
Tourism to regional destinations like Kanazawa is also growing as the Japanese government has encouraged visitors to explore beyond the country’s most popular destinations.
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