Forget Santorini. The coastal village of Ucluelet on Vancouver Island is quietly stealing the spotlight as one of the world’s most sought-after destinations.
Advertorial
Expedia Group’s latest “Destinations of the Year” list — powered by real-time data from millions of daily visitors to the Expedia site and app — highlights where global interest is rising fastest. Among the top emerging destinations is Ucluelet, the stunning year-round coastal destination in British Columbia, which saw a 44 per cent search increase over the past year.
Ucluelet was ranked #7 out of #10 global destinations, and it was the only Canadian spot to make the list. The selection was based on actual increases in flight and accommodation searches on Expedia for travel between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025, compared to the same period the previous year.
So what’s driving the sudden love for this tiny district municipality of about 1,650 people? The answer lies in a broader global shift: travellers are seeking peaceful, nature-focused experiences away from overcrowded tourist hotspots.
“Ucluelet is a place where the seasons bring dramatic shifts in weather, atmosphere, adventure and natural beauty,” says Discover Ucluelet. The village is renowned for its year-round outdoor adventures and rugged wilderness. The hike along the famed Wild Pacific Trail offers some of the most breathtaking views of the coastline, with hikers able to clearly spot the Broken Group Islands, Barkley Sound, and Amphitrite Point. The accessible 9 km journey was previously voted the #1 Thing to Do on Vancouver Island by TripAdvisor.
