On National Geographic's list for 2026, Quebec, Beijing, Rabat, the Dolomites and Route 66 stand apart: each of these places offers not merely beautiful views, but a concrete answer to the question of how to travel when mass tourism has already exhausted itself.
In Quebec, a new national park, Nibiischii, has opened, created and managed jointly by the provincial government and the Cree people. This is not just a protected area — for the first time, an Indigenous people gains full control over how their land is shown to guests. Instead of the usual tours, the emphasis here is on shared experience: fishing by traditional rules, stories told by elders around a campfire, nights spent in places that were once closed to outsiders.
In Beijing, the nearly eight-kilometre-long central axis, inscribed on the UNESCO list, is finally gaining status as the city's main pedestrian artery. From the Drum and Bell Towers to the Gate of Eternal Peace, visitors can walk past the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven without a crush of buses. The city is deliberately restricting car traffic along this stretch, restoring to the historic centre its original role — not a stage set, but a living space.
Rabat demonstrates how an ancient royal capital and a modern metropolis can exist in one space without conflict. From the narrow streets of the twelfth-century Kasbah of the Udayas to Zaha Hadid's futuristic Grand Theatre, the transition takes mere minutes. The city hides neither of these faces, instead inviting the traveller to choose for themselves which century they want to spend the day in.
In 2026, the Dolomites will be in the spotlight because of the Winter Olympic Games, but the region's chief value lies not in its stadiums, but in the chance to see how the mountains are preparing for a new chapter: limiting visitor numbers on popular routes, developing low-carbon transport and preserving the Alpine meadows that are already suffering from warming.
Route 66 is marking its centenary. In 2026, the "Mother Road" will draw not only nostalgic motorists but also those who want to understand how a single highway changed America over a hundred years — from the flourishing of small towns to their decline and today's attempts at revival through tourism. The anniversary events include not only festivals but also projects to restore old motels and filling stations, so that the road becomes alive again rather than a museum exhibit.
All five destinations share one thing: they offer not merely to "see" but to "understand" how a place lives today and what it wants to remain tomorrow.
