It's no surprise that the United States and Japan are usually among the most visited countries in autumn.
So, if you’re planning for a relaxing holiday abroad during this particular season, you may want to steer clear of certain spots located in these countries.
According to a September 2026 report on autumn travel by international luggage brand Eminent, three cities in the US are gearing up to be the most overcrowded fall destinations.
Japan has two, same as the United Arab Emirates, while cities from two European countries and Singapore round up the top 10 list.
The first destination you’d be smart to avoid this autumn would be New York City in the US, with a crowd pressure score of 100. It is estimated that 16.25 million tourists are arriving in the city throughout the season, and October is set to be its busiest month.
Its autumn hotel occupancy rate is estimated at 86.5%. Most tourists look forward to visiting Times Square, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty.
Following close behind is Dubai in the UAE with a crowd pressure score of 93.2 and hotel occupancy rate of 79.3%. Of the 5.3 million expected visitors, many are looking to visit the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Palm Jumeirah.
The third busiest city you may not want to visit this season is London, England. It has a crowd pressure score of 88.5, while its hotel occupancy rate is 84%. The estimated 5.02 million visitors are mostly interested in the Tower of London, British Museum and London Eye.
Paris, France is next with a crowd pressure score of 83.9 and hotel occupancy rate of 83%. Visitor arrivals are expected to be 12.8 million, with most of them likely visiting the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Even neighbouring Singapore will be bustling. The only South-East Asian destination to appear on the top 10, it places fifth with a crowd pressure score of 82.7, hotel occupancy rate of 84.5% and estimated visitor arrivals of 4.02 million.
Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands and Sentosa Island are its most searched attractions.
In sixth and seventh spots are Japan’s Tokyo and Kyoto, respectively. Tokyo’s crowd pressure score is 80.8, hotel occupancy rate is 86% and estimated visitor arrivals are 7.4 million. Senso-ji Temple, Shibuya Crossing and Meiji Shrine are its popular attractions.
Kyoto has a crowd pressure score of 80.3 and hotel occupancy rate of 84%. The estimated 7.75 million visitors are mostly interested in visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera and Arashima Bamboo Grove.
Two more US cities take the eighth and ninth places. Los Angeles is in the eighth spot with a crowd pressure score of 78.8, hotel occupancy rate of 68.5% and estimated visitor arrivals of 11.88 million. Visitors mostly searched for Universal Studios, Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Walk of Fame in this city.
For Las Vegas, its crowd pressure score is 77.9, hotel occupancy rate 81.5% and estimated visitor arrivals 9.64 million. The most searched attractions are the Las Vegas Strip, Bellagio Fountains and Fremont Street Experience.
Last but not least is Abu Dhabi in the UAE, with a crowd pressure score of 77.4, hotel occupancy rate of 84.4% and estimated visitor arrivals of 3.93 million. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Watan are its most searched attractions.
The report is based on a study ranking more than 50 global destinations. To identify the places most strained by autumn travel, the study looked at the number of people on the ground, the availability of accommodation, and the level of search demand for the attractions at each destination relative to the visitors it already receives.
Based on this, you can plan quieter alternatives for your autumn holidays this year. You can even start planning your vacations for next autumn, since you know now which places are more likely to get very crowded for the season.
