20 Best Kept Secret Places to Visit in USA

Fatima Gulzar

Mon, Feb 26, 2024, 6:29 AM 14 min read

The art of tourism involves exploring uncharted territory, finding comfort in the embrace of unfamiliar surroundings, and fully integrating oneself into the tapestry of various civilizations. This voyage has the power to transform, revealing hidden gems, igniting the spirit of adventure, and cultivating a deep connection with the natural world.

The worldwide tourism market is projected to surge at a CAGR of 5% over the next ten years, with an estimated value of $10.5 trillion in 2022. It is anticipated by analysts at Future Market Insights that the tourism market would reach an estimated value of $17.1 trillion in 2032. It is predicted that the proliferation of new trends like adventure tourism, art tourism, and so forth will speed up the development of the global tourist sector. Adventure tourism, which includes activities like rock climbing, mountaineering, excavation, kayaking, and other sports, has been an important driver of the tourism market share in recent years. Second, the use of tourist websites plays a crucial role in the management and monetization of all forms of tourism. It is additionally expected that social networking sites' growing popularity would present a great opportunity for the expansion of the travel industry.

Countries with a thriving tourism industry, including the United States, France, and other European nations, are among the most renowned travel destinations worldwide. However, in recent years, several lesser-known Asian and African nations have emerged in popularity as getaways for foreigners, as per Future Market Insights. To take advantage of the possible financial gains from this shift, global travel service providers are realigning their services.

According to a recent survey conducted by Forbes, despite facing challenges, travel remained popular among Americans in 2023, with an average of 2.1 leisure trips per person. Out of the respondents, 36% took three or more trips. Looking ahead to 2024, 92% of participants expressed their intention to either maintain or increase their travel plans, although there was a slight decrease compared to the previous year. Specifically, 40% planned to take more trips, down from 49% in 2023. Notably, 39% of respondents anticipated spending more on travel, indicating resilience in their budgets, albeit slightly lower than the 45% reported last year.

In light of concerns over inflation, 46% of participants adjusted their travel plans. This adjustment included 19% opting for fewer trips and 18% favoring road trips over flying. Additionally, the utilization of travel benefits on credit cards decreased from 66% in 2023 to 57% in 2024, reflecting evolving financial strategies in response to changing economic shifts.

Despite economic pressures, the desire to travel remains a top priority across generations, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials. A significant 56% and 49% of these age groups, respectively, have expressed plans to embark on more trips. As for popular travel choices in 2024, visiting family and friends takes the lead with 46%, followed by beach vacations at 36% and road trips at 34%.

Amid inflation concerns, 30% of respondents are uncertain about changing their travel plans, adopting a cautious approach. Travelers prioritize experiences despite economic uncertainty, utilizing reward points and looking for ways to cut costs.

As reported by the European Travel Commission, in 2023, European tourism showed promising signs of recovery, nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels despite visitors being 1.6% lower than in 2019. However, a 23% inflation surge significantly impacted travel expenses, particularly with a 49% increase in international flight costs and a 35% rise in hotel rates. While Southern Europe experienced robust growth, Eastern Europe lagged. Notwithstanding a major 67% decline in Chinese arrivals in contrast to 2019, North American markets rebounded. Despite pricing challenges, Europeans prioritize safe and affordable destinations. The European Travel Commission additionally forecasts that the travel industry will persist and expand in 2024, with a focus on sustainability throughout this period of transition.

As we shed light on sustainability, recently, The Sustainable Flight Fund of United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) has surpassed $200 million in investments, marking a noteworthy landmark. United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) business partners, which emphasize working together to address environmental issues, include Aircastle, Air New Zealand, and Alphabet Inc. They represent various sectors within the aviation supply chain. Furthermore, since February 2023, over 115,000 United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL) customers have donated almost $500,000, demonstrating the broad support that the company has received for sustainable initiatives.

In addition to establishing strategic investments exceeding $200 million, the Sustainable Flight Fund has attracted 22 business partners. Notably, portfolio companies like EH2 and Cemvita are pushing the technology development and manufacturing of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) has included a contribution option in its booking process to involve customers in addressing climate change.

Acknowledging the significance of SAF in reducing air travel's carbon footprint, United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) is leading the way in creative solutions, including collaborations and customer involvement. By funding businesses, this innovative project seeks to lower emissions and advance the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Another renowned US-based company is Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) which runs an online marketplace for experiences and short- and long-term home stays. In 2023, Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) acquired GamePlanner.AI, an artificial intelligence company started by Adam Chyler, the man behind Siri. The latter is an AI startup with 12 employees that has been prospering outside of the public eye since it was founded.

The acquisition price and the terms of the arrangement were not disclosed by Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB). However, CNBC reported, citing people involved with the negotiations, that the deal was valued at "just under $200 million."

According to Airbnb, the GamePlanner.AI team will incorporate its tools into the platform and concentrate on boosting specific AI initiatives at Airbnb. Therefore, this demonstrates the company's seriousness about its dedication to incorporating AI.

With that said, here are the 20 Best Kept Secret Places to Visit in USA.

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Methodology:

To pick out the 20 Best Kept Secret Places to Visit in USA, we have used a consensus-based approach using a variety of credible sources to determine the best-kept secret locations. To give you the finest result possible, we picked places from numerous forums on Reddit, as well as websites such as Travel & Leisure and Via Travellers amongst others, assigned them a score based on their number of appearances, and ranked them accordingly.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.