A trend toward increased concerns about travel to destinations with adverse political conditions was revealed by WYSE Travel Confederation’s New Horizons youth travel data in 2017. This was a global trend and not specific to a particular destination. It suggested that terrorism, political tension, social unrest, and health epidemics (even before COVID-19) had young travellers thinking more about their travel destination than in the past. It also suggested that young travellers would avoid certain destinations with political or social unrest. Even so, young people continue to travel and do so with intent and purpose.
Political tension and protest can be found all over the world. Reputable travel agents and tour operators can also be found all over the world. Helpful travel safety advice is widely available online. Web-based search tools are better than ever at matching traveller requirements with fitting destinations and experiences. Perhaps it has become more a question of where and how to travel rather than if one should travel?
Looking back at our most recent New Horizons survey data, we wondered how things have panned out for the top cities to return to. In 2023 we asked travellers which cities they deemed good to return to and the top five cities worldwide were: Tokyo, Osaka, Melbourne, Cape Town and Seoul. Although international tourism for these cities has largely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic by now, some of these ‘places to return to’ have not been without political and/or social tension the last year or so. Are people still visiting?
Tokyo and Osaka, Japan
Two cities in Japan, Tokyo and Osaka, topped the New Horizons 5 “cities to return to list”. Japan has seen a tourism boom post-COVID, bringing along the over-tourism debate. Japan’s National Tourism Organization (JNTO) recorded a 13.5% year-on-year increase of international visitors in March 2025, the beginning of the country’s cherry blossom season.1 International arrivals to Japan reached 10.54 million for the first quarter of 2025.2 Sitting at the top of many post-COVID bucket lists, perhaps thanks to the 2020 Olympics, Japan became a busy hot spot for tourists after opening its borders to international visitors again. At the end of 2024, Fodor’s travel guide cautioned travellers to reconsider Tokyo and Kyoto, having put the two on their “No List”. The Tokyo Weekender brought some attention to this, not by amplifying a stay away message, but by offering smart alternatives that helped travellers plan to avoid crowded areas and discover lesser known and lesser visited attractions.3 Okinawa, Japan recently found its way onto Expedia’s Smart Travel Health Check list, highlighting destinations with responsible tourism management.
Melbourne, Australia
Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey data for year ending December 2024 indicated that the state of Victoria received 2.7 million international overnight visitors, up 32% year-on-year. The city of Melbourne received 2.5 million of those visitors.4 The state’s strategic plan “Victoria 2033” prioritises five tourism product areas that will build the region’s competitive advantage for the coming years: First Peoples-led experiences, wellness, arts and culture, food and drink, and nature. The strategy targets “High-Value Travellers (HVTs)” which include working-holiday makers. HVTs are characterised as knowledgeable about the world and a destination, believing this knowledge to be fundamental to an authentic travel experience steeped in local culture and everyday life. Interestingly, while the state of Victoria and city of Melbourne bolster their offering to international visitors, the city of Sydney, promoted by Destination NSW, ran a campaign to (re)attract the domestic market. The ‘Feel New’ campaign aimed to change perceptions that there is nothing new or more to discover about Sydney other than the city’s iconic opera house and harbour. Sydney reportedly sits below Melbourne and Gold Coast as a destination for domestic travellers.
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town suffered a dramatic drop in international arrivals during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, slowly reinstated air carrier traffic has brought international visitors back. It remains to be seen if South Africa’s reputation suffers or benefits in any way after becoming embroiled in US President Trump’s unsavoury moves to declare a ‘white genocide’ in the country. Trump offered refugee status in the United States to Afrikaners in 2025. The Western Cape province reported an increase in international visitors in 2023 and 2024, Cape Town being the most popular destination for those arrivals. The province also recorded a formidable number of repeat international visitors, indicating a high level of satisfaction. Shopping markets and natural attractions were among the top points of interest for international visitors.5 Cape Town was ranked 35 in the May 2025 International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) global list of association meetings, indicating the city hosts an increasing number of international events and meetings.
Seoul, South Korea
Seoul’s international arrivals reached an all-time high in 2019, attracting 13.9 million visitors. Steady post-COVID-19 recovery brought back 8.86 million visitors in 2023. Domestic and regional political issues, including the December 2024 martial law declaration by South Korea’s then-president Yoon Suk Yeol, have cast doubt about travel to South Korea and the country’s ability to continue its tourism recovery. Even so, growth in international arrivals for 2024 was reached around 16 million and 2025 estimates project 20 million arrivals. Seoul continues to be a popular destination for young, solo travellers and K-culture enthusiasts. The country is hoping to attract 30 million annual visitors by 2027 by focussing on group business travel for conferences and events. How South Korea’s new president will navigate tensions of the global trade war and relations with the United States will likely begin to emerge soon. Whether tourism to South Korea will be impacted by new diplomatic dynamics, remains to be seen.
USA
Although no cities in the United States featured among our top places to return to list, the US is historically one of the top destinations for youth and student travellers. It seems appropriate to acknowledge that there are concerns among the global youth travel community about damage to the destination’s reputation, particularly with young people, due to actions that continue to be taken by the Trump administration.
According to our New Horizons data, 43% of youth travel respondents said they were extremely interested in travelling to the USA in 2017. In 2023 that rose to 52%. The purpose of those potential future visits to the US were most likely to be holiday, followed by work experience and academic study. Young travellers who had already visited the US for purposeful exchange as an au pair, volunteer or student, had the highest interest in returning, while those who went on vacation to the US, had the lowest interest.
Purposeful travel seems to build stronger connections between the traveller and a destination. People are also a critical factor of purposeful travel. This is clear from this traveller’s explanation about why they intend to return to the US:
“I’m going to visit my host family (back when I was an exchange student) and my co-workers (from my work and travel program).”
Sentiments like these were also evident in the BridgeUSA cultural exchange stories that alumni shared with WYSE Travel Confederation this year. The stories underscore the importance of human connections while travelling and the role these connections play in social and cultural development. Such stories also reveal the high-quality knowledge and guidance provided by the youth travel industry and the positive impact of citizen-to-citizen diplomacy.
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Research on the outcomes of youth, student and educational travel is critical to communicating the value of travel and tourism. WYSE Travel Confederation’s New Horizons project has provided members with wealth in insights over time – when times are good and when times are challenging. Your participation in gathering data from travellers across the globe strengthens us all. We are especially grateful to WYSE Elite Members for their support of the WYSE Research Programme.
Join the global conversation about cultural exchange, youth travel and the value of youth tourism at one of our upcoming events for professionals in youth, student and educational travel.
1 Travel Voice https://www.travelvoice.jp/english/international-visitors-to-japan-exceeded-10-million-fastest-ever-adding-3-5-million-in-march-2025
2 Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-crosses-10-million-visitors-through-march-fastest-ever-pace-2025-04-16/
3 Tokyo Weekender https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/news-and-opinion/tokyo-and-kyoto-make-fodors-no-list-for-2025/
4 Victoria State Government https://djsir.vic.gov.au/tourism-industry-support/research/international-research
5 Wesgro https://www.wesgro.co.za/corporate/resources