It has invaded our TikTok
feeds
and our
Reels .
Presented in turn as one of the major travel trends of 2024 and the ultimate good deal, the “dupe destination” is flooding social networks.
On TikTok, 41.1 million publications are brought together under the hashtag #Travel (993,400 under its French equivalent, the hashtag #Voyage), and 204,600 under the hashtag #Dupe.
With the “dupe destination”, we offer an alternative to a first idea of a vacation spot, less expensive and less far away – more economical and often less impactful for the environment, therefore.
The two places have common characteristics: their landscapes are similar and the tourist experience is supposed to be similar.
And since the birth of dupe travel (derived in English from “duplicate”, a copy), comparisons between destinations have flourished.
Some suggest going to Taipei rather than Seoul.
Others substitute London Liverpool, Lisbon Palermo, Perth Sydney or Memphis Nashville.
And France also has its dupes with, for example, Fécamp for Etretat or Lake Genin (Ain) for Canadian landscapes.
But can we really replace one destination with another?
And does this trend born on social networks really have an impact on popular travel destinations?
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Go off the beaten track
According to a study carried out by OnePoll for Expedia, in 2024, more than a third of French travelers have booked a dupe destination because it would be less crowded (48%) and more unusual (40%).
“
There is a real craze for destinations that are different from what everyone already knows, off the beaten track.
And this, with greater comfort of visit: the crowds can really spoil the pleasure when discovering a landscape
”, decodes Xavier Rousselou, spokesperson for Expedia.
According to him, searches for Palermo, presented by the Expedia group as a dupe of Lisbon, increased by 89% in 2023.
Bruno Maltor, travel influencer and founder of the blog Vos tour du monde, perceives in his community a certain enthusiasm for alternative tourism: “
It’s the search for something less frequented, more hidden, and therefore perhaps more authentic
".
In some of his videos, he also offers alternatives to places that are victims of overtourism.
“
During my trip to Japan, I made a Reel on Instagram where I proposed places to replace those seen in guides and everywhere on the networks.
There were more than 90,000 likes and tens of thousands of saves
.”
Proof that the notion of a duped destination appeals to users.
And what's more, in the long term.
While most social media trends last about two to three weeks before fading, travel dupes seem to have found a more lasting place, in the background for several months.
Nothing surprising for Myriam Roche, founder of Tendanciales, a platform that lists trends on social networks.
“
Dupe destinations are based on an underlying trend that became mainstream several years ago: dupes were originally used in fashion and beauty products,
” she recalls.
It is the association of this term with that of travel which is new, giving the impression of something new.
And, “
before, when traveling, we talked about a good plan.
With the dupes, the good plan is other cities.
It’s the storytelling that has changed
,” she explains again.
But the concept remains the same: to save money – in times of inflation and falling purchasing power.
@expedia
Modern meets ancient in Taiwans capital city of Taipei.Destination Dupes are on the rise for the coming year, according to our Unpack 24 Trends in Travel report.
Think: Unexpected hidden gems that give the tried and true a run for their money.
What other under-the-radar places do you want to visit?
#unpacktraveltrends #unpack24 #traveltrends #destinationdupe #dupes #traveltiktok #tiktoktravel #expedia #taipei #taiwan #taiwantiktok
Time - Goslow & VOLKHIN
New out of old
But who says online trend does not necessarily mean travel trend.
It is impossible to know if a traveler has chosen one destination over another for its lower cost, its greater proximity, its absence of overtourism or to get off the beaten track.
It is also impossible to follow a user's journey after they have seen a video on the subject
.
“
We therefore cannot know whether the trend has really led to stays in duped destinations
,” summarizes Myriam Roche.
Moreover, Expedia does not communicate booking figures after researching a destination.
Xavier Rousselou nevertheless underlines the existence of a “
correlation between research and sales
”, recognizing that the proportions can be different.
And if the concept has something to please, it remains difficult to substitute one destination for another.
Cyril Attias, founder and managing director of ADMS.PARIS, an agency specializing in marketing and influence, is doubtful: “
Sometimes, the dupes have nothing to do with the destination they are supposed to replace.
For example, we saw videos suggesting going to Quebec rather than Geneva.
And some dupe destinations are not that original
.”
For him, the travel players who communicated on the subject have above all “
recovered and marketed
” a trend born on social networks.
Moreover, the desire to travel more sustainably and get off the beaten track is not new.
“
I think this is a trend that has existed since post-covid, but which is not new in itself
” analyzes Bruno Maltor.
The duped destinations still have the merit of reflecting, once again, the general awareness of the need to change – or, at least, to think – travel methods.