The 10 countries travellers most want to return to, according to new data

Look, we’re big, big fans of travelling to new places, but some places are packed with so much to see, be it a plethora of magnetic cities, unbelievable scenery or too much amazing food to eat in one go, that before you’ve even left you find yourself fantasising about returning. 

To find out the top destinations that leave travellers wanting more, SCS Chauffeurs, a luxury airport transport provider, analysed more than 8,000 online reviews and upvotes to identify where travellers are most likely to visit again and recommend to others. 

Topping that list, with 895 mentions and upvotes, is Costa Rica. The Central American country has featured on a whole load of ‘where to travel’ lists for 2026, and its northern region is home to a well-traversed backpacker route which extends from San Jose to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, Tamarindo and to Manuel Antonio National Park. 

However, Costa Rica is also home to a region which has occupied the top spot on Time Out’s roundup of the world’s most underrated destinations since September – the Osa Peninsula. Grace Beard, Time Out’s travel editor who recently ventured to the wild and remote region, described it as ‘one of the world’s greatest eco-adventures’. 

‘It’s miles – both literally, and in terms of tourism infrastructure – from the well-trodden backpacker route in the country’s north … but those seeking ‘pura vida’, Costa Rica’s national motto meaning ‘pure life’, will find it at its most authentic here, in San Vito, a unique mountain community in the country’s deep south,’ she writes.

In second place on the list is Italy, and in third place is Japan – both countries are well worth revisiting, if you ask us. Have a read of our guide on Japan’s most underrated cities, and all the spots you should visit in Italy this year, before scrolling on to check out the rest of the top 10. 

The top 10 countries people want to return to

1. Costa Rica
2. Italy
3. Japan
4. UK
5. Portugal
6. UAE
7. India
8. New Zealand
9. Ireland
10. Iceland

📍 Check out Time Out’s brand-new list of all the countries that could use more tourism right now. 

Did you see that the European countries with the fewest tourists have been revealed?

Plus: Locals in this European town are campaigning to revoke its UNESCO status – here’s why. 

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