Bookings to China nearly tripled this year, up 184%. That’s the fastest growth of any country in Fora’s booking data, and it tops the 2027 Hot List. As a Fora advisor, I dug into the numbers behind this year’s list. Here’s what they reveal about where we’ll be traveling next year.
How the List Was Built 🔍
This year, Fora introduced the Taste Index, which scores each destination from 0 to 100 using four signals:
- Booking growth (50%): year-over-year hotel bookings by U.S. Fora advisors. Growth is measured against Fora’s overall growth, so a destination only ranks high if it’s outpacing the company itself.
- Advisor buzz (35%): a survey of 713 advisors on what clients are newly asking about, and what’s overexposed.
- New hotels (10%): luxury and upscale openings since September 2025
- New flights (5%): new nonstop routes from U.S. airports
To qualify, a destination needed at least 100 bookings in the past year.
The 2027 Hot List 🌍
| Rank | Destination | Taste Index | Booking growth | New hotels | New U.S. nonstops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇨🇳 China | 90.3 | +184% | 42 | 0 |
| 2 | 🇲🇹 Malta | 86.9 | +129% | 5 | 1 |
| 3 | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 86.4 | +152% | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 84.9 | +140% | 13 | 0 |
| 5 | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 84.4 | +119% | 12 | 0 |
| 6 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 82.2 | +138% | 4 | 0 |
| 7 | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 79.1 | +116% | 7 | 4 |
| 8 | 🏔️ Alaska | 72.0 | +87% | 0 | 6 |
| 9 | 🏝️ St. Thomas & St. John | 71.9 | +148% | 1 | 5 |
What the Data Tells Us 💡
1. Asia is the headline. Three of the top seven spots belong to Asia, and those three countries account for 61 new hotels since September 2025. China alone has 42.
2. You don’t need a new nonstop to be hot. China, Egypt, Vietnam, and Finland have zero new U.S. routes and still made the top six.
3. The U.S. Virgin Islands is the sleeper pick. Bookings grew 148%, the third-highest growth on the list. It lands at #9 only because the index also weighs advisor buzz and new hotels. If you want somewhere that’s surging before everyone’s talking about it, this is it.
4. Europe is going smaller. Instead of big capitals, travelers are booking Malta (+129%), Finland (+138%), and Slovenia (+152%). You can read about my trip to Malta here. I loved it!
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Quick Hits, Plus Points Tie-Ins 🎯
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- 🇨🇳 China: U.S. travelers may qualify for up to 10 days of visa-free travel through designated ports, as long as they have confirmed onward travel to a third country or region. China’s high-speed rail network now covers more than 31,000 miles, which makes multi-city trips easy.
- 🇲🇹 Malta: Delta launched a seasonal JFK–Malta nonstop in June 2026. Time to put those SkyMiles to work. It’s also a good-value alternative to Sardinia and the Greek islands.
- 🇸🇮 Slovenia: United starts its first Newark–Ljubljana nonstop in May 2027. Combine the Alps, Lake Bled, and Slovenian wine country in one compact trip.
- 🇪🇬 Egypt: a total solar eclipse passes directly over Luxor on August 2, 2027. 🌑 Mandarin Oriental relaunches the Old Cataract in Aswan and the Winter Palace in Luxor in July, ahead of it. If this is on your list, plan early. You can read about my trip to the Arctic to see the last solar eclipse here.
- 🇻🇳 Vietnam: Fora bookings more than doubled, led by Hanoi and the Da Nang–Hoi An region.
- 🇫🇮 Finland: named the world’s happiest country for the ninth year in a row, with three hotels that now hold Michelin Keys. Or you can use points and miles, read about how I traveled to Finland to see the Northern Lights.
- 🇹🇼 Taiwan: new routes include EVA Air from Dallas–Fort Worth and Washington Dulles, plus China Airlines and STARLUX from Phoenix. That’s good news for Star Alliance miles holders.
- 🏔️ Alaska: Southwest began flying to Anchorage in May 2026, and Princess is sending eight ships on 187 departures in 2027.
- 🏝️ USVI: no passport needed for U.S. citizens. New routes include seasonal Delta service from Boston and Southwest flights from Orlando and Baltimore.
Keep an Eye On 👀
- Venice: three major luxury hotels opened in 2026, and Delta plans a Boston–Venice nonstop starting May 2027.
- Montenegro: advisors ranked it just behind Slovenia as the next must-visit spot.
- Peru: the top country for booking growth among Fora’s Latin American advisors.
Fora Called It ✅
Destinations from past Hot Lists that took off this year:
- Sardinia (2025): bookings up 92%
- Panama (2024): up 122%
- Ecuador (2023): up 123%
Thinking about one of these for 2027? Let’s plan it together. I can help you figure out the best way to get there on points, too. ✈️
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