Top emerging travel destinations

DURBAN - Ishigaki, Japan has taken the number one spot in the top trending TripAdvisor's annual Travelers' Choice Destinations on the Rise 2018 edition list.

Ishigaki placing is in sharp contrast to the fast-paced, and technologically advanced capital of Japan, Tokyo. Ishigaki is situated in Japan's' southwestern Okinawa Prefecture and is becoming a popular destination for urbanite tourists who want to snorkel, dive, and soak along its beaches.

The region is known for it's colourful coral reefs, clear blue oceans waters, sugarcane fields and lush mountains and mangroves.

Other destinations which are featured on the TripAdvisor list are lesser-known, usually up and coming locations, on the outskirts of the mainstream tourist radar.

The top five on the list are Kapaa, Hawaii; Nairobi, Kenya; Halifax, Canada; and Gdansk, Poland.

Kapaa, Hawaii is also the top emerging United States destination of 2018.

Senior Director of Communications at TripAdvisor, Brooke Ferencsik, in a statement said, "The Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise award winners are a great source of inspiration for travelers interested in going somewhere exciting that’s emerging in popularity."

"These winners were based on destination feedback and interest from the TripAdvisor community, and a common thread is that they all have outstanding accommodations, wonderful restaurants and exceptional attractions for every travel budget," Ferencsik said.