A big part of travelling for many young holidaymakers today is finding "Instagrammable" spots.
Eminent, a luggage brand from Taiwan, recently conducted a survey which looked at more than 50 "underrated" destinations frequently featured in social media platforms like Instagram.
To rank the destinations, Eminent analysed several factors including: Instagram hashtag counts to measure how often travellers post photos from each location; Google search volume to gauge travel interest; annual visitor numbers; summer temperatures; the number of activities available; hotel availability; average accommodation costs for a week's stay in June (peak month for most destinations); and hotel guest ratings.
Topping the list is Puglia in Italy. Although the region attracts fewer tourists as compared to other famous Italian cities such as Rome and Venice, it has more than 16 million Instagram posts, thanks to its beaches, coastal towns and unique architecture.
The survey also finds that Puglia's warm weather, wide range of activities and hotel availability played a role in its popularity with vacationers.
Coming in second is Okinawa in Japan, with around 14 million Instagram hashtags and a Google search volume of over 518,800. The island is renowned for its tropical scenery and relatively affordable accommodation options compared to major cities like Tokyo and Kyoto.
Sardinia, meanwhile, ranks third. With close to 870,000 Google search volume, Italy's largest island draws some five million visitors to its shore. Travellers visit for the varied outdoor activities and mild summer weather.
In fourth place is South Korea's Busan. Many people may recognise the coastal city from the 2016 zombie thriller Train To Busan (the movie itself was not filmed there).
Despite its global reconigtion, Busan receives only around one million tourists a year. Even so, it remains one of Asia's most photographed "hidden gems".
Gdansk in Poland is also on the list, as a more affordable European destination compared to Prague (Czech Republic) and Vienna (Austria). The Polish port city is known for its historic architecture and cooler summer temperatures. Travellers may need to book early, however, as there are fewer than 100 hotels available in June, according to the report.
Among other destinations that made it into the Top 10 list are Cappadocia (Turkiye), Nara (Japan), Menorca (Spain) and La Paz (Mexico).
More and more holidayers are now steering away from the typical tourist hotspots, seeking experiences that are more immersive and unique.
