5 popular destinations travel planners won't be visiting this year

• We asked travel planners which popular destinations they wouldn't prioritize visiting this year.

• They said that although Santorini and Venice are stunning, crowds can detract from their beauty.

• It's becoming harder to score bookings in St. Barts — which may be making it too exclusive.

It can be hard to narrow down your list of dream vacation spots, but some of the most popular locations may not be as bucket-list-worthy as they seem.

Business Insider spoke with two travel planners to get their thoughts on which popular destinations they feel aren't worth the hype right now.

Here are the cities travel planners plan to skip in 2025.

Santorini has been overwhelmed with cruise ships and tourists.

Though Santorini is a lovely island, Beci Mahnken, the president and CEO of MEI-Travel, said crowds were making it increasingly hard to relish in its beauty.

"Cruise ship arrivals and social media have transformed this idyllic island into a crowded backdrop for selfies," she told BI. "The charm of its cobblestone streets and caldera views can get lost when you're elbowing through crowds in Oia at sunset."

In an effort to combat overtourism, Greece recently began taxing short-term rentals and charging a levy to cruise ship passengers.

If tourists do visit, Mahnken suggests they prioritize booking local experiences, like visits to small museums and cooking classes hosted by native chefs.

Though Venice offers breathtaking views, it can be overstimulating.

There's no denying that Venice offers alluring views, especially with its many canals and beautiful bridges.

However, with the tens of millions of tourists it attracts each year, the small island city can become overstimulating.

"People think of Venice as a dreamy escape with gondola rides and quiet canals," Mahnken said. "In reality, it can feel more like a theme park — stunning but overwhelmingly crowded."

Many people have likened Venice to tourist attractions like Disney World, and the city is even trying to reduce overwhelming visitor numbers by bolstering its tourist-tax policy through 2025.

Miami can feel overwhelmed by bachelor and bachelorette parties.

Stephanie Cavazuti, a travel advisor at Fora, told BI she didn't plan to visit Miami in 2025.

The popular Florida city welcomes millions of tourists each year — but if you're not there to party, it may not be the vacation destination you dreamed of.

"Every single bachelor and bachelorette party seems to be in Miami at all times," she said. "I hope Miami becomes less popular this year so travelers can stop complaining about the crowded beaches and constant club music."

In the meantime, she encourages tourists to explore other beachy areas that offer a similar vibe with a quieter atmosphere.

Lately she's been discussing Asheville, North Carolina, and Rosemary Beach, Florida, with her clients as alternates.

Visitors routinely crowd the same few attractions in Paris.

Though Paris is filled with iconic attractions, more often than not, those attractions are filled with tourists.

For example, the Louvre was built to withstand 4 million annual visitors, but more than 8 million came through in 2024. Last month, the museum's director told the French culture minister that visiting the 18th-century landmark has become a "physical ordeal" because of the crowds and building disrepair.

If you're set on visiting Paris this year, consider doing more research to find restaurants, activities, and sights off the beaten path.

"If fewer people flocked to its most famous landmarks, visitors might have a chance to discover the Paris locals love — its vibrant neighborhoods, hidden cafés, and lesser-known museums," Mahnken said.

She recommended spending some time exploring the village-esque neighborhood of Les Batignolles and ambling through the eclectic Musée des Arts Forains.

There seem to be too many people planning trips to St. Barts.

St. Barts is gorgeous, but there's so much more to the island than the ubiquitous photo ops in popular areas like Nikki Beach and Shellona.

Cavazuti said she thinks those stunning Instagram posts may be attracting too many tourists as hotel and dining reservations are becoming harder to score.

"You have to book so far in advance now — particularly for festivals and spring break — that the exclusivity feels a bit much," she told BI.

Though she doesn't necessarily recommend booking a trip this year — if you can even get a reservation at this point — she hopes future tourists explore beyond the hot spots.

Her top recommendations are renting a Moke vehicle to see more of the island beyond its famous beaches and visiting the charming Gyp Sea beach club.

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