SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Expedia named South Lake Tahoe as the top trending destination worldwide for 2027.

The city saw a 195% jump in searches for flights and accommodations on the online travel agency’s website since last year, the most of any city in the world. The next highest increase was just 95%.

“These places might not be dominating mainstream travel content just yet, but they’re gaining attention,” Expedia’s website said to introduce the list.

Next on the list was Hyogo, Japan, with a 95% increase in searches, known for its feudal castle, hot springs and, of course, food. After that was Punta del Este, Uruguay, a coastal city with beachside art installations that saw a 65% increase.

Carol Chaplin, president and CEO of Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, said notching the top spot on Expedia’s list is a “great honor” and speaks to the organization’s marketing efforts.

“It was very unexpected,” Chaplin said. “It just really validated what we’ve been trying to do over the years is to increase the awareness of the destination.”

She attributed the increase to a combination of potential factors: the American Century Championship, Caesars Republic outdoor concert series, events from Heavenly and other partners and the docuseries LTVA released in March, Beyond Awestruck.

Across all platforms, including social media, Beyond Awestruck content garnered 19 million views and 1.7 million viewing hours, according to spokesperson Ryn Muat. Each video prominently featured South Lake Tahoe, and the series centered on research about the awe-inspiring feelings Lake Tahoe can produce and the connection that follows.

Chaplin called Expedia a “very, very trusted brand” for travelers and said their analysis bodes well for the tourism industry going into 2027. 

“It could really give us a lift, especially in this marketplace where we see that there’s some global pressures, exterior pressures on us,” she said.

Expedia named Heavenly and Sierra-at-Tahoe as major draws in the winter and said watersports on North America’s largest alpine lake keep people coming all summer long, calling South Lake Tahoe a year-round destination.

Here’s the full list of the most trending destinations worldwide, according to Expedia’s flight and accommodation searches:

1. South Lake Tahoe, California, United States (+195%)
2. Hyogo, Japan (+95%)
3. Punta del Este, Uruguay (+65%)
4. Sedona, Arizona, United States (+55%)
5. Busan, South Korea (+50%)
6. Holbox, Mexico (+45%)
7. Perugia, Italy (+35%)
8. The Tweed, New South Wales, Australia (+35%)
9. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada (+35%)
10. Chichester, United Kingdom (+30%)

Carly Heltzel is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. She is part of the 2026–28 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley. Learn more at https://fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows/.