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Ghent, Belgium: the best travel dupe for Venice
According to Holafly’s Travel Dupe Index, Ghent, Belgium, is the best alternative to Venice, Italy. The city features medieval canals and historic architecture that offer a remarkably similar atmosphere while experiencing significantly lower tourism pressure.
DUBLIN, Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — There are some iconic destinations that never go out of style, such as Venice, Aspen, Kyoto or Ibiza, but in recent years the desire to escape crowded tourist hotspots has grown just as quickly. More travellers are looking to enjoy the same breathtaking scenery and cultural experiences without the crowds, queues or higher prices.
This summer, the biggest travel trend isn’t swapping one crowded destination for another nearby; it’s crossing borders entirely.
Holafly’s first Travel Dupe Index identifies the best international alternatives to some of the world’s most iconic destinations by comparing visual and cultural similarity, accommodation costs, overtourism, accessibility and social momentum. Unlike traditional “dupe” rankings, every alternative is located in a different country from the destination it replaces, offering travellers a genuinely new experience while maintaining the same appeal.
The results reveal that the best alternative to Venice isn’t elsewhere in Italy, but Ghent, Belgium, whose medieval canals and historic architecture offer a remarkably similar atmosphere while experiencing significantly lower tourism pressure. The ranking also highlights alternatives such as Banff instead of Aspen, Jeonju instead of Kyoto, and Budva instead of Ibiza, with travellers saving up to 83% on accommodation depending on the destination.
Travel dupes are becoming an alternative to overtourism
As overtourism continues to affect many of the world’s best-known destinations, travellers are increasingly looking beyond obvious substitutes. Rather than replacing one crowded destination with another nearby, international travel dupes allow visitors to discover similar landscapes, architecture and cultural experiences while reducing costs and avoiding peak visitor numbers.
The world’s best travel dupes
| Rank | Travel Dupe | Instead of |
| 1 | Ghent, Belgium | Venice, Italy |
| 2 | Banff, Canada | Aspen, United States |
| 3 | Jeonju, South Korea | Kyoto, Japan |
| 4 | Budva, Montenegro | Ibiza, Spain |
| 5 | Cascais, Portugal | Saint-Tropez, France |
| 6 | Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia | Lake Como, Italy |
| 7 | Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic | Tulum, Mexico |
| 8 | Menton, France | Amalfi Coast, Italy |
| 9 | Ciudad Perdida, Colombia | Machu Picchu, Peru |
| 10 | Siargao, Philippines | Bali, Indonesia |
Methodology
To identify the world’s best travel dupes, Holafly compared ten iconic destinations with international alternatives using a weighted scoring model. Each destination pair was evaluated across five criteria: visual and cultural similarity (25%), measuring how closely the alternative replicates the look and feel of the original; accommodation savings (25%), based on average peak-season hotel prices; overtourism contrast (20%), comparing visitor pressure between the original destination and its alternative; accessibility (15%), considering flight availability and travel times; and social momentum (15%), analysing Instagram, TikTok and online search trends to identify emerging destinations.
To ensure the ranking highlighted genuinely new travel experiences, every alternative had to be located in a different country than the destination it replaces, with no more than two alternatives from the same country included in the final ranking. This methodology prioritises destinations that deliver a similar experience while providing better value, fewer crowds and the opportunity to discover somewhere new.
Media contact: press@holafly.com
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