tourism shows up on the

By Bastian Herre, Veronika Samborska and Max Roser

Tourism has massively increased in recent decades. Aviation has opened up travel from domestic to international. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international visits had more than doubled since 2000.

Tourism can be important for both the travelers and the people in the countries they visit.

For visitors, traveling can increase their understanding of and appreciation for people in other countries and their cultures.

And in many countries, many people rely on tourism for their income. In some, it is one of the largest industries.

But tourism also has externalities: it contributes to global carbon emissions and can encroach on local environments and cultures.

On this page, you can find data and visualizations on the history and current state of tourism across the world.

Interactive Charts on Tourism

Cite this work.

Our articles and data visualizations rely on work from many different people and organizations. When citing this topic page, please also cite the underlying data sources. This topic page can be cited as:

BibTeX citation

Reuse this work freely

All visualizations, data, and code produced by Our World in Data are completely open access under the Creative Commons BY license . You have the permission to use, distribute, and reproduce these in any medium, provided the source and authors are credited.

The data produced by third parties and made available by Our World in Data is subject to the license terms from the original third-party authors. We will always indicate the original source of the data in our documentation, so you should always check the license of any such third-party data before use and redistribution.

All of our charts can be embedded in any site.

Our World in Data is free and accessible for everyone.

Help us do this work by making a donation.

The Best Travel Shows to Stream Right Now

Enjoy the thrill of the chase in paris, a stanley tucci tour of italy, and a puppet’s-eye view of global cuisine with these streaming tv shows..

• Copy Link copied

In “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy,” the actor lives the dream by exploring the best of Italy’s food and wine.

Courtesy of CNN

While we wait for borders to open , these fuel-your-wanderlust shows will take you off the couch to Italy, England, Norway, France, and Peru (by magic shopping cart). Can you tell we’re excited about Michelle Obama’s fantastical new global food show, Waffles and Mochi ? It debuts next week on Netflix. Until then, explore the world from home by streaming any of these 26 travel shows and TV shows set in foreign countries.

Waffles and Mochi

Watch it : Netflix

A Sesame Street –style kids’ TV show for the budding chef, Waffles and Mochi follows the eponymous puppets—one a sweet little monster with waffles for ears, the other a sentient pink rice ball—around the world as they seek out fresh global ingredients and learn about healthy eating and cooking.

This show will appeal to adults as much as to toddlers. To start: Michelle Obama costars (this is part of the Obamas’ production deal with Netflix) as a grocery store owner who teaches Waffles and Mochi about the wide world beyond the Land of Frozen Food. Off on fabulous journeys they go—to Japan, Peru, Italy, where they have friendly encounters with famous chefs like Samin Nosrat and José Andrés, as well as special guests Rashida Jones, Queer Eye ’s Tan France, Zach Galifianakis, Sia, Common, and more (technically, Mandy Moore). Start streaming it on Netflix March 16. —Laura Dannen Redman

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

Watch it : CNN

Actor Stanley Tucci kept spirits afloat with his cocktail and cooking demos on Instagram during lockdown. When travel restrictions lifted in Europe last year, Tucci traveled to Italy—where he has deep roots—to film this six-episode series exploring food and culture through Italy’s people, cities, and regions: Sicily, Tuscany, Milan, Bologna, Rome, and Naples and the Amalfi Coast.

For those desperately missing Italy, Tucci is the perfect knowledgeable yet curious tour guide, introducing his friends—winemakers, chefs, and authors—who he pokes a little fun at, and taking you on tours, such as around Florence’s Renaissance-era wine windows, aka “little doors of paradise.”

If the show leaves you craving more, buy his two Italian cookbooks— The Tucci Table: Cooking with Family and Friends and The Tucci Cookbook— and preorder his memoir, Taste: My Life Through Food . The series has been renewed for season two. — Annie Fitzsimmons

Who is Lupin? He’s a gentleman thief, a master of disguise, a sort of French superhero at the heart of Maurice Leblanc’s short stories, “Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar.” These early 20th-century Sherlockian tales inspire the new Netflix show, Lupin , starring Omar Sy ( The Intouchables ) as a Senegalese immigrant in today’s Paris who follows Arsène’s escapades as a road map for revenge.

In the pilot episode Sy’s Arsène struts through the Louvre disguised as a janitor, plotting a jewelry heist like a cohort of Danny Ocean. Lupin is also full of lust-worthy shots of the city: a room with a view of Sacré-Cœur; the Eiffel Tower from every angle; the Jardin du Luxembourg in the rain; a bustling café. A heist thriller is only as good as its setting, and Lupin —and Paris—deliver. —L.D.R.

“Outlander” stars Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish take you on a spirited journey through Scotland.

Courtesy of Starz

Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham

Watch it : Starz

If the popular period drama Outlander didn’t already have you craving a trip to Scotland, this travel show starring Sam Heughan (Jamie Fraser in Outlander ) and Graham McTavish ( Outlander’s Dougal Mackenzie) will seal the deal. Even if you’re not an Outlander devotee, this Scottish duo, who are constantly making jabs at each other and themselves, are ideal guides for this literal campervan road trip through Scotland. Their banter is on point (you can tell they’re good pals IRL), and they transport viewers into the heart and soul of the country without taking themselves too seriously.

Each episode focuses on a different aspect of Scottish culture and history. For the food and drink episode, Heughan and McTavish visit one of Scotland’s oldest whisky distilleries and introduce viewers to Scottish seafood. For the sports episode, they try their hand at archaic Highland Games (aka throwing a massive hammer) and playing golf on Scotland’s most hallowed turf. And for the song and dance episode, viewers learn more about bagpipes and traditional Scottish dancing—Heughan and McTavish are game guinea pigs while also offering insights and knowledge into the theme at hand.

I’m not always big on traditional “travel shows,” but I absolutely love this one and am ready to book my first trip to Scotland ASAP after watching. — Michelle Baran

Watch it : Apple TV

West London’s Richmond upon Thames, with its distinctly British cobblestone shopping alleys, parks, and lively pubs, is the backdrop to the story of very American Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis.

Lasso is an American football coach hired to reboot a Premier League British football team, AFC Richmond. An eternal optimist, Ted is someone you wish you knew—warm and funny, with leadership skills that win over nearly everyone he meets in this fish-out-of-water story.

The Apple TV show isn’t really about sports, though there are plenty of soaring, heart-pumping soccer—football!—scenes. There are love triangles and mishaps, a delightful cast of characters, and the realization that you can do the impossible if you just “Believe,” Ted’s motto. The show has already been renewed for two more seasons. —A.F.

The head of government rides her bike to work: two clues this series isn’t set in the United States. In Copenhagen, everyone rides a bike. Maybe “Danish political drama” doesn’t sound compelling but this is, with a standout cast of well-developed characters. It follows the path of politician Birgitte Nyborg and how demands of her rise to power clash with her family life. Concerns about media news coverage are among the issues making this drama universal. The show, with an 8.5 IMDb rating, originally aired 2010–2013; Netflix plans a fourth season for 2022. — Pat Tompkins

If you’re one of the few who haven’t seen Bridgerton yet (apparently, it’s Netflix’s most successful series ever ), and you miss the U.K., it’s time to settle into Shonda Rhimes’s soapy, steamy Regency-era drama that reimagines the time as one when equality reigns: Black and white people coexist as equals, and the Queen is Black.

It centers on the romance between debutante Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, reluctant Duke of Hastings. Scenic British locations include the Bridgerton family home, Ranger’s House in Greenwich, London; promenades in Bath’s green parks and Royal Crescent; and parties at Wilton House in Salisbury as the Duke’s country mansion. — A.F.

“Killing Eve” sets the codependent cop-and-killer chase in glamorous sites around Europe.

Courtesy of BBC

Killing Eve

Watch it : YouTube TV

When Eve, a British intelligence investigator, becomes obsessed by an assassin-for-hire, Villanelle, their cat-and-mouse chase leads the characters through Tuscany, Paris, London, and Romania. The glamorous destinations make this a bingeable spy thriller for travel lovers who crave dark humor, cliffhangers, and dreamy settings. —Ciera Velarde

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Watch it : Hulu

This 10-episode series from Mindy Kaling is nothing like the movie it takes its name from, except that there are four weddings and one funeral. London has never looked more magical as friends in their thirties fall in love, break up, and get married across rooftop parties in Trafalgar Square, conversations at the National Gallery and inside dreamy Notting Hill houses, and walks in Kew Gardens.

Like its cast, but unlike so many romantic comedies, it also showcases the diversity of the city through Indian family culture in Hounslow and the multicultural Southall Market. It’s completely addictive, and you might replay the final 10 minutes of the series (a wedding, of course!) over and over again. — A.F.

Un Village Francais/A French Village

Watch it : Amazon Prime

Over seven seasons, this series captures what German occupation of a fictional village, Villeneuve, meant for its inhabitants from 1940 to 1945. Instead of battles, we get the war’s impact on civilian life, an impact that affects everyone. It could have been a soap opera, but it’s not, thanks to complex characters and intriguing stories.

Among those in the first episode are Spanish refugees, a Jewish family, and the town doctor, all coping with the sudden upheaval of life in Occupied France. Travel to a different place and time in these 80+ episodes. — P.T.

Home for Christmas

The first Norwegian series from Netflix, Home for Christmas was filmed in Oslo and the small mining town of Røros, known for its colorful wooden buildings from the 1700s. We see the town and countryside dressed for the holidays, with snow, twinkle lights, and cider at Christmas markets aplenty.

But the festive season is just a vehicle for showcasing the complicated bonds of family. The show follows the up-and-down love life and quirky characters surrounding Johanne, a nurse in her thirties who feels pressure from her large, boisterous family to settle down. But what relationship can compete with her friendships? — A.F.

Call My Agent

Calling all francophiles. For those missing not just France but the language and people as well, this French-language Netflix show is génial . Call My Agent is a witty comedy about a Paris-based talent agency. The central cast of characters brings viewers along as they manage the many moods and demands of their high-maintenance actor clients. (They do everything from intervene when clients refuse to get intimate on a film set to help a client learn to drive for a movie role, plus attend ridiculous soirées to appease these high-strung celebs.)

As the series continues, deeper emotional themes around family, friendship, and love develop. I found myself tearing up (in a good way) by the end of the first season, something I wasn’t expecting at all at the start. The comic relief serves as a wonderful escape and there’s something oddly satisfying about seeing behind the scenes of France’s acting and filming world even if it is a fictional look. — M.B.

Indian Matchmaking

This is a reality show, with all its tropes and gimmicks, inviting us to be voyeurs of the Indian dating world. But Indian Matchmaking is also a fascinating glimpse into the culture of matchmaking and quasi-arranged marriages, for both the singles and families. It follows Mumbai-based matchmaker Sima Taparia as she tries to pair clients both in the U.S. and India; the scenes in India are most vibrant and really make the show worth a watch even if you’re skeptical about the premise.

You feel like you’re sitting right next to the characters in that Mumbai restaurant or Delhi bar as they chat with friends or go out on that first (slightly awkward) date with their match. — M.B.

Watch it : HBO Now , Hulu , YouTube TV

If your family is driving you up the wall, imagine self-quarantining with Succession ’s Roy family. This addictive dramedy centers on who will take over a global media and hospitality empire as the family patriarch faces health issues. Because this dysfunctional family is crazy rich, the series transports us to the most exclusive corners of New York City, a sprawling ranch in New Mexico, and even a castle in England. The juicy Season 2 finale takes place on a private yacht in Croatia, so pour yourself some prosecco and lose yourself in someone else’s family drama. —C.V.

Olivia Colman dazzles as Queen Elizabeth in the third season of “The Crown.”

Courtesy of Netflix

Pour yourself a cuppa and don your finest sweatpants, because we’re headed to Buckingham Palace, folks. Well, no filming was actually done in Buckingham Palace, but Lancaster House, Wilton House, and Waddesdon Manor serve as lavish, convincing stand-ins. Get ready to follow the trials and tribulations of the Windsors and get peeks at country-home castles, private train cars, African tree houses, and passels of corgis romping on the moors. —C.V.

Watch it : Hulu , HBO Now

Every time a local musician appears onscreen during this series (and they appear a lot), hearing the soulful jazz they play will transport you to New Orleans. Shot entirely on location in the city, Treme ’s storyline begins three months after Hurricane Katrina and follows its characters—musicians, bartenders, families—as they try to rebuild their lives. —C.V.

Sam Heughan stars in “Outlander,” a drama heavy on time travel and rolling Scottish countryside.

Watch it : Starz , Netflix , YouTube TV

After just one episode of Outlander, you’ll be eager to traverse the peaks of Scotland’s evergreen Highlands and drink a wee dram of whisky. This time-travel series, shot on location in Scotland, creates a fantasy world that feels rooted in a real place. —C.V.

Broadchurch

Watch it : Amazon

South England’s Jurassic Coast is the real-life setting for this moody crime drama set in a fictional seaside town. Millions of years of coastal erosion have formed striking rock formations along the craggy cliffs and beaches of the region—the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage–recognized area even serves as an important plot device. —C.V.

Ugly Delicious

Watch it: Netflix

In each episode of this docuseries, the James Beard Foundation award–winning chef David Chang focuses on a specific food (one episode is about fried rice, another about barbecue) and then bounces from country to country to taste local iterations of the same dish. After the first episode (which involves pizza: lots and lots of pizza), you’ll learn not to watch on an empty stomach. —C.V.

Top of the Lake

Viewers will be instantly hooked by Elisabeth Moss’s performance as a detective investigating the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl. The show was filmed on the South Island of New Zealand, and the titular lake provides an eerie and dramatic background for the emotionally heavy show. —C.V.

The action of “The Night Manager” starts in Egypt, but the scenes were actually shot in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Courtesy of Amazon

The Night Manager

Watch it : Amazon Prime Video

Great writing, fast-paced action, and an all-star cast (Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman, Hugh Laurie) make this drama unmissable. The story follows a hotel night manager recruited to infiltrate the inner circle of a corrupt businessman. The show is rumored to be the most expensive miniseries ever made by the BBC, and travel-hungry viewers will enjoy the gorgeous locations, like Majorca, Spain; Zermatt, Switzerland; and Marrakesh, Morocco.

Salt Fat Acid Heat

Chef Samin Nosrat visits culinary colleagues in Italy, Japan, Mexico, and Berkeley, California, to explain how—you guessed it—salt, fat, acid, and heat are the essential elements to master when cooking any meal. Samin’s passion for food radiates through the screen, and you’ll be left hungry and inspired to test out some of her cooking tips—with her cookbook by the same name —yourself. —C.V.

If you want to lean into the current news, Fortitude is one way to go. Set in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard (but filmed in Eastern Iceland), this drama is about a deadly virus that turns infected people into murderers. Winter-travel lovers: Get ready for sweeping icy landscapes, snow-capped mountains, and frigid, rocky beaches. —C.V.

“My Brilliant Friend” is a realistic portrayal of the gritty yet beautiful city of Naples.

Photo by Eduardo Castaldo/HBO

My Brilliant Friend

Although this show follows two childhood friends as they grow into women in postwar Italy, the true star is Naples , with its crowded sidewalks, lively piazzas, and ancient architecture. (In the sixth episode, viewers get to travel to the volcanic island of Ischia, to summer with the characters on beaches lapped by turquoise waters). —C.V.

The makers of Our Planet leave no corner of Earth untouched. This breathtaking nature docuseries allows you to swim with whales, swing from tree to tree with orangutans, and explore the Serengeti, all from your couch. The camerawork is remarkable: You’ll ask yourself “how did they even film that?!” at least four times per episode. —C.V.

Big Little Lies

Oh, what we’d give to be social distancing in one of the spacious seaside mansions on this show. The frothy mix of petty neighborhood squabbles, a mysterious death, and the sweeping shots of the Pacific Ocean makes watching Big Little Lies roughly 10 times better than watching the news. And if you’re inspired to plan a trip to Monterey after watching the show (and, of course, after virus concerns are lifted) , we’ve got you covered . —C.V.

>>Next: Around the World in International Films

The Best Travel Shows You Can Stream Right Now

By Meredith Carey

Most of us can't be on the road 365 days a year, but that doesn't mean we have to stop exploring. With some of the best travel shows streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, we have the world at our fingertips, with episodes that take us from markets in Mexico to hawker stalls in Singapore to the farthest reaches of the Arctic, back home to BBQ joints in Charleston. Whether you'd rather follow the late Anthony Bourdain, Sir David Attenborough, David Chang, Samin Nosrat , Samantha Brown , Ewan McGregor, or the Fab Five along the way is up to you. Here, find some of our favorite travel shows available to stream right now (fictional and not), involving journeys by land, air, and sea—and lots and lots of eating.

This gallery was last published in March 2020. It has been updated with new information. All products featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Taste the Nation

With international travel largely on hold, there's no better time to explore our own backyard—which is exactly what host Padma Lakshmi did on her new Hulu show Taste the Nation . The show's first season, released in June, follows the Top Chef host and author as she quite literally tastes the nation , stopping at restaurants around the U.S. to sample the foods of a variety of Indigenous and immigrant groups. Expect to see some familiar faces, like comedian Ali Wong and spearfisher Kimi Werner , along the way. 

Watch now: Free with a Hulu subscription ( sign up for Hulu here )

Planet Earth and Planet Earth II

We had to wait 10 years between the debut of Planet Earth , a groundbreaking natural history show narrated by Sir David Attenborough, and its sequel Planet Earth II , but it was worth it. The first season, which focus on a specific biome and the flora and fauna that live there in each episode, spotlights smooth coated otters in Southeast Asia, Tibetan foxes, critically endangered Ethiopian ibex, and blue whales, among so many others. Our two favorite episodes, though, come from part II. In the sixth episode, the high-def cameras turn to cities to show how leopards in Mumbai, monkeys in Jodhpur, and catfish in southern France live alongside humans. And in what may be the most heart-racing episode of nature television, the islands episode of Planet Earth II follows a lone iguana racing against time—and a horde of snakes. 

Watch Planet Earth now: $3 per episode, $25 per season; amazon.com

Watch Planet Earth II now: $3 per episode, $20 per season; amazon.com

Long Way Up

Believe it or not, actor Ewan McGregor has been in the travel show business for some 16 years. It all started with Long Way Round , a 2004 series that followed McGregor and his friend Charley Boorman on a motorcycle journey from London through Europe, Asia—and then after a flight to Alaska—Canada, and the U.S. all the way to New York City. The show was followed by 2007's Long Way Down, which took the duo from Scotland to South Africa, on motorcycles once again. Now, they've turned their bikes (electric this time) towards South and Central America, with the latest iteration following the duo some 13,000 miles from Ushuaia, Argentina, on the continent's southernmost tip, to L.A. As usual, hijinks, pitfalls, and stunning scenery are all on view. Neither of the earlier shows are available to stream in the U.S. currently (though you can find them on Apple TV+ in the U.K.), but Long Way Up is an Apple TV+ original and on view for all. 

Watch now: Free with an Apple TV+ subscription ( sign up for Apple TV+ here )

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Be sure to watch this show on a full stomach, or you'll be pausing to bake focaccia or cook tahdig along with affable host and Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat cookbook author Samin Nosrat. In the four-part show, Nosrat travels the world, making stops in Mexico, Japan, Italy, and her home in California, to discover the properties of each of the show's title elements. There's cheese. There's olive oil. There's miso. There are tortillas. There's salsa. And just like that we're hungry again. (FYI, she's as delightful in person as she is on screen—and joined us for a Women Who Travel podcast episode soon after the show premiered.) Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Harrison Pierce

María Casbas

CNT Editors

If you're familiar with Anthony Bourdian's The Layover, then the premise of British comedian Richard Ayoade's Travel Man will seem quite familiar. The goofy show follows the comic and primarily English celebrity friends as they galavant around cities like Helsinki, Miami, and Hong Kong over the course of 48 hours. If you're a Great British Bake Off fan, start with Ayoade's trip to Paris with original GBBO host Mel Giedroyc or the season two episode featuring current host Noel Fielding in Copenhagen . Other familiar faces include Paul Rudd in Helsinki and Bridesmaids' Chris O'Dowd in Vienna.

Somebody Feed Phil

This Netflix original follows host Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond , as he eats his way through cities like Bangkok , Lisbon, Mexico City , New Orleans ,   Buenos Aires , Cape Town, and Dublin. The hyper-positive show was called "impossibly optimistic," by former Traveler editor Paul Brady, who spoke with Rosenthal before the first season's premiere in 2018. The fourth season, out October 30, takes Rosenthal from Rio de Janeiro to the Mississippi Delta and the islands of Hawaii to eat even more delicious grub.  Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Parts Unknown

You simply cannot have a list of the best travel shows and not feature the late Anthony Bourdain. In fact, he's on our list more than once. In Parts Unknown , the chef and travel personality circled the world many times over, in search of music, culture, humor, history, and—of course—really good food. Over 12 seasons (the last aired posthumously), Bourdain visited the indigenous Andes with Eric Ripert, the Sochi Winter Olympics, the Mississippi Delta, and, most famously, Hanoi with then-president Barack Obama. (That's season eight, episode two, if you want to jump right to it.) 

Watch now: $3 per episode, or $10 per season; amazon.com

Technically, Netflix's original show Connected is a science show, but that doesn't mean it isn't filled with travel. Plus, host Latif Nasser told us earlier this year that the show was built in the footsteps of Bourdain's Parts Unknown and No Reservations (with a dash of Bill Nye thrown inn). The show speaks to how the world is interconnected—like how Delaware's birds can offer clues about the Gulf's hurricane season or how sand from the Sahara impacts the Amazon. Throughout, you'll follow Nasser as he hopscotches around the world to speak with scientists to find out more. 

Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Street Food

Made by the same folks behind Chef's Table (spoiler: it's also on this list), this show moves away from formal restaurant kitchens and onto the streets, for a guide to some of the world's best curbside meals and snacks . The show's first season is all about Asia, traveling to nine different countries to meet the people behind the food, like Jay Fai from Bangkok's Raan Jay Fai , a Michelin-starred street stall serving up tom yum soup, and Truoc (pictured left), who serves a variety of snail dishes in Ho Chi Minh City . The second season, which hit Netflix in July, zeroes in on Latin America, with stops at Doña Vale's in Oaxaca for memelas and Las Chicas de las Tres food stall in Buenos Aires, run by chef Pato Rodriguez. 

Lost Cities With Albert Lin

In this National Geographic –produced show, explorer and scientist Albert Lin tracks down some of the world's most famous lost cities. We're talking buried Knights Templar caves in Israel, El Dorado in the jungles of Colombia, and ancient, forgotten island cities in Micronesia. Along the way, he speaks with archaeologists, historians, and other experts to discover the origins of the legends and, in turn, the reality of those places today. 

Watch now: Free with a Disney+ subscription ( sign up for Disney+ here )

Ugly Delicious

The second season of the David Chang –hosted Netflix series debuted in March 2020, taking viewers from Istanbul (pictured), to Tokyo , to Sydney , to… Outback Steakhouse? Along the way, he tackles balancing parenthood with restaurant life, cooks with Top Chef 's Padma Lakshmi , rubs elbows with comedians like Nick Kroll and Aziz Ansari, and gets a lesson in not calling all Indian food curries from Traveler contributor Priya Krishna . (If you want more Chang, try your hand at a recipe from his Momofuku cookbook, or watch Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner , also on Netlfix, where he joins one famous friend on a food tour of a city, like Chrissy Teigen in Marrakech.) 

Produced by Vice , this show is about the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. In it, actor Elliot Page and their film director friend Ian Daniel travel to learn about what it's like to be LGBTQ+ around the world. They meet with two-spirit Native Americans, head to ballroom scenes in New York City, and visit the gay bars of Tokyo to dive deep into the vibrant gay and queer culture. But the duo also spends time in Rio de Janeiro, Jamaica, and Ukraine, speaking with LGBTQ+ locals to learn about the discrimination and threats they face just by existing. Expect tears, both happy and sad. 

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted

Gordon Ramsey is involved, so of course this cooking and travel show is extreme. In the National Geographic –produced series, the Hell's Kitchen chef goes out of his element—and out of the kitchen—to learn cooking tips and tricks from locals in unusual locales, culminating in a cook-off of sorts to show off what he's picked up. Here, he heads to Peru's Sacred Valley to learn high altitude cooking, cooks seal with a Tlingit elder in Alaska , and learns about Berber food culture in Morocco. 

Carmen Sandiego

Many of us got our first lesson in geography from this trench coat–wearing master thief, and today's kids can too, thanks to the Netflix reboot of this animated series. This high-flying, Robin Hood–style caper takes kids (and parents) with Sandiego as she jet sets between Rio de Janeiro , Matsumoto in Japan, Amsterdam, Mumbai, and more. There are three seasons available and plenty of educational value here for mapheads—plus pretty stellar animation. This year, an interactive choose-you-own-adventure style show, called Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal, came to Netflix and provides endless entertainment as Sandiego fights off the Villains International League of Evil (V.I.L.E.), with your (kid's) help. Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

If Planet Earth and Planet Earth II weren't enough Attenborough for your liking, get your fix on Netflix, thanks to Our Planet . This docuseries, made by the creators of Planet Earth in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund and narrated by Attenborough, is almost a mix of the two, taking armchair travelers from the North American grasslands and the Everglades to the Arctic tundra and deepest parts of our oceans. Once you're done with the nine 50-minute episodes, switch over to Our Planet: Behind the Scenes to see how the 600-person crew filmed the series. Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

No Reservations

If you want even more Bourdain, Hulu has you covered with No Reservations and The Layover, two of his travel shows that preceded Parts Unknown . In No Reservations, Bourdain takes us to both familiar—Maine, Prague, the Philippines—and unfamiliar—Kurdistan, Mozambique, and deep into the Amazon—corners and kitchens of our world, introducing us to new foods, cultures, and personalities over nine seasons. The Layover takes that same premise, but shortens the time line drastically, knocking down Bourdain's time to explore to just 24 to 48 hours. Both are must-sees—it's Bourdain after all. 

Chef's Table: BBQ

While you can watch some of world’s most extraordinary chefs (like Dominque Crenn ; Peruvian Virgilio Martínez , the owner of Lima's Central restaurant; and Swede Magnus Nilsson ) as they create impossibly complicated dishes in the original Chef's Table, we've become partial to its latest iteration, which is all about barbecue. The Netflix original docuseries follows pitmasters like Tootsie Tomanetz—the 85-year-old spitfire pictured above who minds the brisket and sausage at Snow's, outside of Austin—and Rodney Scott, known for his Low Country–style pulled pork and ribs. But the show doesn't stick to the American South. You'll head to Rosalia Chay Chuc's Yucatán home and visit the grills of Lennox Hastie in Sydney, too.  Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Travels with My Father

The first season of this Netflix original, which came out in 2017, follows British stand-up comedian Jack Whitehall and his father, Michael, across Southeast Asia, tracking the duo as they finish the gap year Jack never got to complete, just a few years late (eight, to be exact). It's everything you'd expect: a Thai full moon party and, of course, a trip to Cambodia's Angkor Wat, but the moments in between are what make the show really worth watching. Now, in the three seasons that have followed, the father-son pair have road tripped through Transylvania , visited Chernobyl , and gotten into drag with Sydney queens. Needless to say, it's a romp.  Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories

Set in a tiny Tokyo diner that's only open from midnight to 7 a.m., the fictional show follows the Midnight Diner's owner and clientele as they share their trials and joys, all while eating whatever the owner, called Master, dishes up. In the diner, pork miso soup is the go-to, but Master will cook visitors anything they order, as long as he's got the goods to make it. Episodes are a little over 20 minutes long, so it's the most bingeable of the bunch. Watch with subtitles and don't—seriously, don't—watch while hungry. Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Get your international fix by watching Antoni , Karamo , Jonathan , Tan , and Bobby makeover the wardrobes and lives of everyday “heroes” in Yass, Australia , and Tokyo in their Queer Eye specials. That said, we're partial to the U.S.-based seasons, where the Fab Five hits up Atlanta, Kansas City, and, most recently, Philadelphia to give new life to regular folks. Whether they're making over the sisters behind Jones Bar-B-Q in Kansas City or the small town mayor of Clarkston, Georgia, we're on board. Have tissues on hand, as you're all but guaranteed to shed a tear (who are we kidding, you'll sob). Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Places to Love

For many years, Samantha Brown was the only female host on travel TV , period. And while some, albeit small, growth has been made in this regard (Nosrat and Kellee Edwards are among the new faces), Brown is still one of the few women on the go on our screens. While she made her start on the Travel Channel with Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, and Passport to China , you should really be checking out her latest show, Places to Love. Now in its third season, the show sees Brown discovering off-the-beaten-path spots in some of the world's most loved destinations as far-flung as Seoul and Auckland, and right in our backyard, like Phoenix and Dallas . 

Watch Places to Love now: Free on PBS

Watch Passport to Europe now: $2 per episode, $35 per season; amazon.com

The World According to Jeff Goldblum

Ok, so this isn't as much of a travel show as it is a “what is Jeff Goldblum curious about” show—but it doesn't mean they don't travel all over the U.S. With each episode focusing on the actor's ceaseless interest in the minutiae of one specific thing (like tattoos, or pools, or RVs, or ice cream—it really runs the gamut). Over the course of the show, Goldblum visits Hawaii , Las Vegas , NASA’s neutral buoyancy lab in Houston , and so much more. If you love Goldblum, you'll probably love this show. 

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Share this content.

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin

Tourism’s Importance for Growth Highlighted in World Economic Outlook Report

• All Regions
• 10 Nov 2023

Tourism has again been identified as a key driver of economic recovery and growth in a new report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). With UNWTO data pointing to a return to 95% of pre-pandemic tourist numbers by the end of the year in the best case scenario, the IMF report outlines the positive impact the sector’s rapid recovery will have on certain economies worldwide.

According to the World Economic Outlook (WEO) Report , the global economy will grow an estimated 3.0% in 2023 and 2.9% in 2024. While this is higher than previous forecasts, it is nevertheless below the 3.5% rate of growth recorded in 2022, pointing to the continued impacts of the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and from the cost-of-living crisis.

Tourism key sector for growth

The WEO report analyses economic growth in every global region, connecting performance with key sectors, including tourism. Notably, those economies with "large travel and tourism sectors" show strong economic resilience and robust levels of economic activity. More specifically, countries where tourism represents a high percentage of GDP   have recorded faster recovery from the impacts of the pandemic in comparison to economies where tourism is not a significant sector.

As the report Foreword notes: "Strong demand for services has supported service-oriented economies—including important tourism destinations such as France and Spain".

Looking Ahead

The latest outlook from the IMF comes on the back of UNWTO's most recent analysis of the prospects for tourism, at the global and regional levels. Pending the release of the November 2023 World Tourism Barometer , international tourism is on track to reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Prospects for September-December 2023 point to continued recovery, driven by the still pent-up demand and increased air connectivity particularly in Asia and the Pacific where recovery is still subdued.

Related links

• Download the News Release on PDF
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer
• IMF World Economic Outlook

Category tags

Related content, international tourism to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024, international tourism to end 2023 close to 90% of pre-p..., international tourism swiftly overcoming pandemic downturn, tourism on track for full recovery as new data shows st....

Towards resilience and sustainability: Travel and tourism development recovery

The travel and tourism sector is slowly beginning to recover. Image:  Unsplash/Eva Darron

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Kate Whiting

.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Travel and Tourism is affecting economies, industries and global issues

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:, davos agenda.

Listen to the article

• The World Economic Forum has published its inaugural Travel and Tourism Development Index .
• It focuses on the growing role of sustainability and resilience in travel and tourism growth.
• Recovery for the sector is uneven and tourist arrivals in January 2022 were still 67% below 2019 levels, according to the World Tourism Organization.
• Here are some key findings from the index on how the sector can build back better.

In 2018, international tourism grew for the ninth consecutive year. Tourist arrivals reached 1.4 billion and generated $1.7 trillion in export earnings, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Travel and tourism: post-pandemic

The picture looked very different two years later, as COVID-19 lockdowns hit the travel and tourism (T&T) sector hard. In 2020 alone, it faced losses of $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs , impacting the living standards and well-being of communities across the globe.

While the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and easing of restrictions means a recovery has now started, it’s proving gradual and uneven largely due to variations in vaccine distribution, and because of Omicron and its BA.2 subvariant. And customers are not only being more cautious when it comes to health, but also around the impact of travel on the environment and local communities.

International tourist arrivals rose by 18 million in January 2022 compared with a year earlier. This equals the increase for the whole of 2021 from 2020, but January’s numbers were still 67% below the same month in 2019, according to the UNWTO.

The war in Ukraine has added to instability and economic disruption for the sector. Against this backdrop, the World Economic Forum’s inaugural Travel and Tourism Development Index reflects the growing role of sustainability and resilience in T&T growth, as well as the sector’s role in economic and social development more broadly.

The TTDI benchmarks and measures “the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of the T&T sector, which in turn contributes to the development of a country”. The TTDI is a direct evolution of the long-running Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), with the change reflecting the index’s increased coverage of T&T development concepts, including sustainability and resilience impact on T&T growth and is designed to highlight the sector’s role in broader economic and social development as well as the need for T&T stakeholder collaboration to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, bolster the recovery and deal with future challenges and risks. Some of the most notable framework and methodology differences between the TTCI and TTDI include the additions of new pillars, including Non-Leisure Resources, Socioeconomic Resilience and Conditions, and T&T Demand Pressure and Impact. Please see the Technical notes and methodology. section to learn more about the index and the differences between the TTCI and TTDI.

The Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021

The index covers 117 economies, which accounted for around 96% of the world’s direct T&T GDP in 2020. It measures the factors and policies that will enable sustainable and resilient development of the sector.

These include everything from business, safety and health conditions, to infrastructure and natural resources, environmental, socioeconomic and demand pressures.

“As the sector slowly recovers, it will be crucial that lessons are learned from recent and current crises and that steps are taken to embed long-term inclusivity, sustainability and resilience into the travel and tourism sector as it faces evolving challenges and risks,” says the publication, a collaboration between many of the sector’s stakeholders.

The index consists of five subindexes, 17 pillars and 112 individual indicators, distributed among the different pillars, as shown below.

On average, scores increased by just 0.1% between 2019 and 2021, reflecting the difficult situation facing the sector. Only 39 out of 117 economies covered by the index improved by more than 1.0%, while 27 declined by over 1.0%.

Nine of the top 10 scoring countries are high-income economies in Europe or Asia-Pacific. Japan tops the ranking, with the United States in second, followed by Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the United Kingdom and Singapore. Italy completes the top 10, moving up from 12th in 2019.

Viet Nam experienced the greatest improvement in score, with a rise of 4.7% lifting it from 60th to 52nd on the overall index. Indonesia achieved the greatest improvement in rank, increasing its score by 3.4% to climb from 44th to 32nd, while Saudi Arabia achieved the second greatest improvement in rank, moving up to 33rd from 43rd as its score rose by 2.3%.

Rebuilding travel and tourism for a sustainable and resilient future

Here are some of the key findings from the publication:

1. The need for travel and tourism development has never been greater

The sector is a major driver of economic development, global connectivity and the livelihood of some of the populations and businesses most vulnerable to, and hard hit by, the pandemic. In 2019, T&T’s direct, indirect and induced GDP accounted for about 10% of global GDP . For many emerging economies, T&T is a major source of export revenue, foreign exchange earnings and investment. Research has shown that T&T growth can support social progress and create opportunities and well-being for communities, so supporting travel and tourism development and recovery will be critical.

2. Shifting demand dynamics have created opportunities and a need for adaptation

In the shorter term, challenges such as reduced capacity, geopolitical tensions and labour shortages are slowing recovery. However, opportunities have been created in markets such as domestic and nature-based tourism, the rise of digital nomads and “bleisure” travel – the addition of leisure activities to business travel. Many countries have provided incentives to boost domestic tourism. For example, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong SAR, China, have rolled out programmes that provide discounts, coupons and subsidies for domestic travel. The trends towards more rural and nature-based tourism offer an opportunity for less-developed economies to harness the benefits of travel and tourism given that the distribution and quality of natural assets are less tied to performance in economic development, with natural resources being one of the few pillars where non-high income economies typically outperform high-income countries. The travel and tourism sector stakeholders’ ability to adapt under these conditions highlights its capacity for adaptation and flexibility.

3. Development strategies can be employed to help the sector build back better

Amid the current challenges, shifting demand dynamics and future opportunities and risks, a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient travel and tourism sector can be – and needs to be – built, says the publication. But this calls for thoughtful and effective consideration. It also requires leveraging development drivers and strategies. This can be done by: restoring and accelerating international openness and consumer confidence through, for example, improved health and security; building favourable and inclusive labour, business and socioeconomic conditions; focusing more on environmental sustainability; strengthening the management of tourism demand and impact; and investing in digital technology.

A note on the methodology

Most of the dataset for the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) is statistical data from international organizations, with the remainder based on survey data from the World Economic Forum’s annual Executive Opinion Survey, which is used to measure concepts that are qualitative in nature or for which internationally comparable statistics are not available for enough countries. The index is an update of the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), but due to the altered methodology, framework and other differences, the 2021 TTDI should not be compared to the 2019 TTCI. To help address this, the 2019 results were recalculated using the new framework, methodology and indicators of the TTDI. Therefore, all comparisons in score and rank throughout this report are between the 2019 results and the 2021 results of the TTDI. Data for the TTDI 2021 was collected before the war in Ukraine.

Have you read?

How quickly is tourism recovering from covid-19, this is how the covid-19 crisis has affected international tourism, what covid-19 taught us about collaboration – 7 lessons from the frontline, don't miss any update on this topic.

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Related topics:

The agenda .chakra .wef-n7bacu{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-weight:400;} weekly.

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

.chakra .wef-1dtnjt5{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;} More on Forum Institutional .chakra .wef-nr1rr4{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;white-space:normal;vertical-align:middle;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:0.75rem;border-radius:0.25rem;font-weight:700;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;line-height:1.2;-webkit-letter-spacing:1.25px;-moz-letter-spacing:1.25px;-ms-letter-spacing:1.25px;letter-spacing:1.25px;background:none;padding:0px;color:#B3B3B3;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;}@media screen and (min-width:37.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:0.875rem;}}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:1rem;}} See all

#SpecialMeeting24: What to know about the programme and who's coming

Mirek Dušek and Maroun Kairouz

April 27, 2024

Climate finance: What are debt-for-nature swaps and how can they help countries?

Kate Whiting

April 26, 2024

What to expect at the Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development

Spencer Feingold and Gayle Markovitz

April 19, 2024

From 'Quit-Tok' to proximity bias, here are 11 buzzwords from the world of hybrid work

April 17, 2024

Davos 2024 Opening Film

Building trust amid uncertainty – 3 risk experts on the state of the world in 2024

Andrea Willige

March 27, 2024

• Topics ›
• COVID-19: impact on the tourism industry worldwide ›

Global Tourism's Slow Recovery From the Pandemic

There was a combined loss of 2.6 billion international tourist arrivals from 2019 through 2022, according to the UN World Tourism Organization’s latest report . Analysts say this was largely due to global lockdowns, widespread travel restrictions and a slump in visitor demand.

In 2020, the first year of the pandemic , only 407 million international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) were recorded, marking a 72 percent decline from the 1.5 billion of 2019. Two years on, and the figure had climbed to 963 million, which is just 34 percent below pre-pandemic levels. According to the report, this increase was driven by “strong pent-up demand” as well as the further easing of travel restrictions. Last year, the Middle East was the region to see the strongest rebound worldwide, hitting only -10 percent below 2019 levels, followed by Europe with only -20 percent of pre pandemic levels and the Americas with -29 percent.

Economically speaking, the amount lost through tourism direct GDP was $4.2 trillion over the four years, which equates to roughly the value of Germany’s economy in 2021. It’s a loss that has been felt unevenly, however, as the report writers explain: “The COVID-19 pandemic caused the largest loss in tourism revenues and economic output in recorded history, impacting millions of jobs, small businesses and livelihoods all over world, particularly in emerging economy destinations such as small island developing states where tourism is more labor intensive and a major part of the balance of payments.”

They add that an estimated 100 million direct tourism jobs were put at risk, if not lost, during the pandemic years, many of which were in smaller companies which employed a high share of women and young people.

Description

This chart shows the international tourist arrivals and direct impact of tourism on GDP globally from 2019 to 2022.

Can I integrate infographics into my blog or website?

Yes, Statista allows the easy integration of many infographics on other websites. Simply copy the HTML code that is shown for the relevant statistic in order to integrate it. Our standard is 660 pixels, but you can customize how the statistic is displayed to suit your site by setting the width and the display size. Please note that the code must be integrated into the HTML code (not only the text) for WordPress pages and other CMS sites.

Infographic Newsletter

Statista offers daily infographics about trending topics, covering: Economy & Finance , Politics & Society , Tech & Media , Health & Environment , Consumer , Sports and many more.

Related Infographics

Sponsored post by booking.com, 5% of americans are digital nomads, official development assistance, how is the oecd's development aid used, ocean health, which countries rank best and worst on the ocean health index, sponsored post by booking.com, offline hotel bookings defy digitalization, the evolution of air travel, solar eclipse, solar eclipses to hit major u.s. metros within the century, social media shapes travel experiences, top 10 nature destinations in southeast asia, the how of improving social cohesion with local tourism, european hospitality sector experiences unprecedented levels of bankruptcies, top 10 history and culture destinations in southeast asia, leading challenges for the japanese accommodation industry.

• Who may use the "Chart of the Day"? The Statista "Chart of the Day", made available under the Creative Commons License CC BY-ND 3.0, may be used and displayed without charge by all commercial and non-commercial websites. Use is, however, only permitted with proper attribution to Statista. When publishing one of these graphics, please include a backlink to the respective infographic URL. More Information
• Which topics are covered by the "Chart of the Day"? The Statista "Chart of the Day" currently focuses on two sectors: "Media and Technology", updated daily and featuring the latest statistics from the media, internet, telecommunications and consumer electronics industries; and "Economy and Society", which current data from the United States and around the world relating to economic and political issues as well as sports and entertainment.
• Does Statista also create infographics in a customized design? For individual content and infographics in your Corporate Design, please visit our agency website www.statista.design

Any more questions?

Get in touch with us quickly and easily. we are happy to help.

Feel free to contact us anytime using our contact form or visit our FAQ page .

Statista Content & Design

Need infographics, animated videos, presentations, data research or social media charts?

More Information

The Statista Infographic Newsletter

Receive a new up-to-date issue every day for free.

• Our infographics team prepares current information in a clear and understandable format
• Relevant facts covering media, economy, e-commerce, and FMCG topics
• Use our newsletter overview to manage the topics that you have subscribed to

Articles on Tourism

Displaying 1 - 20 of 507 articles.

Climate change makes life harder: in South Africa it’s likely to bring heatwaves, water stress and gender-based violence

Peter Johnston , University of Cape Town

A timer can shorten your shower even when you have no incentive to save water – new study

Pablo Pereira-Doel , University of Surrey and Xavier Font , University of Surrey

Elephant tourism often involves cruelty – here are steps toward more humane, animal-friendly excursions

Michelle Szydlowski , Miami University

Marine protected areas safeguard more than ecology – they bring economic benefits to fisheries and tourism

Mark John Costello , Nord University

The problem with shaming people for Auschwitz selfies

Craig Wight , Edinburgh Napier University and Phiona Stanley , Edinburgh Napier University

Happy smiling African children: why school tourism in Zimbabwe shouldn’t be encouraged

Kathleen Smithers , Charles Sturt University

Too much heat in the kitchen: survey shows toxic work conditions mean many chefs are getting out

Shelagh K. Mooney , Auckland University of Technology ; Matthew Brenner , Southern Cross University , and Richard Robinson , The University of Queensland

Does hosting the Olympics, the World Cup or other major sports events really pay off?

Ivan Savin , ESCP Business School

Revving up tourism: Formula One and other big events look set to drive growth in the hospitality industry

Rachel J.C. Fu , University of Florida

Black travelers want authentic engagement, not checkboxes

Alana Dillette , San Diego State University and Stefanie Benjamin , University of Tennessee

Why monkeys attack people – a primate expert explains

Tracie McKinney , University of South Wales

Putin wants to transform Russia’s far east into a tourist hotspot – but history shows it won’t be easy

Natasha Kuhrt , King's College London

Embracing ‘virtual dark tourism’ could help heritage sites at risk of degradation – expert explains

Nicole Basaraba , Trinity College Dublin

Selfies and social media: how tourists indulge their influencer fantasies

Brendan Canavan , University of Nottingham

North Queensland’s record-breaking floods are a frightening portent of what’s to come under climate change

Steve Turton , CQUniversity Australia

Concern for the Great Barrier Reef can inspire climate action - but the way we talk about it matters

Yolanda Lee Waters , The University of Queensland and Angela Dean , The University of Queensland

NZ wants more seasonal workers – but Pacific nations no longer want to be the ‘outposts’ that ‘grow’ them

Apisalome Movono , Massey University ; Regina Scheyvens , Massey University , and Sophie Auckram , Massey University

Tourists are returning to South Africa – but the sector will need to go green to deal with the country’s electricity crisis

Gijsbert Hoogendoorn , University of Johannesburg ; Irma Booyens , University of Strathclyde , and Kristy Langerman , University of Johannesburg

Whakaari/White Island court case will change the level of accepted risk in NZ’s tourism industry

Freya Higgins-Desbiolles , University of South Australia and James Higham , Griffith University

Using social media for your holiday ‘inspo’ can be risky and even dangerous – here’s why

Samuel Cornell , UNSW Sydney and Amy Peden , UNSW Sydney

Related Topics

• Climate change
• Coronavirus
• Global perspectives
• New Zealand stories
• Sustainable tourism

Top contributors

Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management/ Adjunct Associate Professor, University of South Australia

Senior Lecturer, Tourism, University of Technology Sydney

Senior Lecturer in Development Studies, Massey University

Professor of Development Studies, Massey University

Professor of Sustainable Tourism, Griffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith University

Professor of Tourism, Griffith University

Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of Nottingham

Lecturer in Tourism & Events, Glasgow Caledonian University

Professor of Sustainable Tourism and Heritage, Western Sydney University

Professor of Tourism, Auckland University of Technology

Professor of Physical Geography, University of the Witwatersrand

Professor of Marketing and Tourism, Nottingham Trent University

Associate Professor, University of Central Florida

Professor of Tourism, Victoria University

Senior Lecturer in Hospitality & Tourism, University of Surrey

• X (Twitter)
• Unfollow topic Follow topic

The Best Travel Shows Of All Time (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime & More)

If you are like me and always yearning to travel, then one of the best ways to do this from home is to watch amazing travel shows on TV.

Over the years I have spent way too much of my spare time consuming every travel show under the sun. And, I thought it was high time I shared some of them with you.

So, without further ado, here are some of the best travel shows on TV – whether it be DVD, Netflix or Amazon.

1. Long Way Round

I remember watching the Long Way Round years ago (2004), which is still clear in my memory. The world-famous Ewan McGregor and one of his best friends Charlie Boorman, pursue their passion for BMW motorbikes and adventure travel and head east from London, as far as possible.

The journey was nearly 19 thousand miles (33,000 kms) and took them through Europe, overland through Asia (Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia) to the USA and New York.

Of course, they do take a crew with them, but this is hardcore overland travel at its best. No script, all the hardships are shown. Boy, they had a difficult time in some parts of Asia!

Update: They have the latest episode in this series, Long Way Up, which features the boys riding from Ushuaia in Argentina to Los Angeles. This is more or less the classic Pan-American Highway route that travelers love!

2. Long Way Down

Following on from the 2004 success, Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman set out again in 20017. This time North to South from Scotland to Cape Town in the Long Way Down . This is yet another infamous overland route and also not a simple one.

Many of the roads and countries in Africa are not in the same state as their European counterparts, so they had some challenges with their suspension. They also had quite some adventures and exciting visits, even with presidents!

If you liked the first one of the series, then this is an equally good follow-up.

It’s also available on Amazon.

Below is a quick intro to the show. It’s worth taking a look.

3. Anthony Bourdain (Parts Unknown, No Reservations, A Cook’s Tour & The Layover)

With the sad news of his recent passing, how can I not include one of the food travel show classics from Anthony Bourdain and his team at CNN? This series was still being filmed at the time of this death, and they have since tried to finalise it without being able to use him for voiceovers. However, there is so much material in this series, you won’t be stressed looking for things to watch.

Anthony was actually made famous by his book, Kitchen Confidential , where he revealed how things work in the restaurant business. I actually read this book over 20 years ago, long before I even realised he was on TV.

Parts Unknown is a unique take on travel from Anthony where he visits various countries around the world that interest him and explores all the great food they have on offer. But, he does not go for the classy restaurants and showy food, he looks for the best of what locals enjoy.

And dives right in himself! It’s super-inspiring to see someone so famous get down and dirty and have absolutely zero pretence. He loves food. He loves people. And he loves to travel. What more could you ask for in a TV Show.

Some of the series from Parts Unknown is available on Amazon .

As are some of his older series like No Reservations , A Cook’s Tour , The Layover

And here is a quick preview of season 7 from CNN.

4. Departures – with Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach

Two best friends from Canada decide they need a little excitement in their lives and head off for a year of adventure.  They end up exploring vast areas of the world and looking for as many unique experiences as possible.

The series is quite in-depth, covering 43 episodes , and almost as many countries. And by the time you have finished it, I will be surprised if you don’t just get up and go traveling yourself.

You can grab it on Bluray on Amazon.

Here is a quick intro to the series.

5. Simon Reeve Travels

I absolutely love to watch Louis Theroux on TV. His bumbling, almost nerd-like charm somehow disarms all the crazy nut-jobs that he interviews.

Simon Reeve, at least to me, seems like his equal in the BBC travel world. He is not a gung-ho daring, Tom Cruise look-alike. He is a down-to-earth, easy-to-like, bumbling reporter who takes to the most interesting places on earth. And makes you fall in love with them all as much as he does.

We have started watching some of his earlier shows. We have started with his crazy trip around the Equator. But some of the others are available on the BBC (if you live in the UK) including such trips as: the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Australia, Africa, Colombia and many more.

Here is a quick intro to the Caribbean series.

6. Rick Steves Travel Series

Another prolific traveler and creator of travel-related content both on and offline is Rick Steves. If you type in many European-related travel searches in Google, you will often find his website in the top ten.

He seems to have been everywhere worldwide and made a TV show about most of it. He appeals to an older demographic in my opinion, as his commentary is a little stiffer, but you can certainly learn a lot from this guy.

You can check them out on his website.

And below is an intro to Season 9 of his European series.

7. Michael Palins (Various Adventures around the world)

Michael Palin, a former Monty Python member and Jon Cleese, has been producing top-notch travel series for years and is a little more old-school than Rick Steves. His shows focus on longer adventures, similar to A Long Way Round, although perhaps not as challenging.

They are fun to watch, and you certainly get to see some of the lesser-explored regions of the world. Although some of these series will be a little dated by now – I remember watching some decades ago!

And just as I said that I took a look and saw he has since made some new series on Channel 5 in the UK, including a trip into the forbidden land of North Korea !

Michael Palin’s Around the World in 80 Days

8. An Idiot Abroad

Venturing into a little bit of Travel Comedy, An Idiot Abroad is the brainchild of the creator of the British (original) The Office, along with a few co-creators. The idea is to send someone who has almost never left their town, let alone lifestyle and send them to some very foreign destinations.

Along the way, they experience some extremely challenging destinations and situations all in the name of broadening their horizons. Karl Pilkington will never be the same again, and maybe neither will you.

You can grab Season 1 and Season 2 on Amazon.

Here is a quick Best Of from the China episode to give you a taste of the show.

9. Travel Man with Richard Ayoade

Another long-running comedy travel show from the UK, Travel Man is very short episode focused on 48 hours in various cities, mainly in Europe. Of course, now that he is on about his 10th season, he has started to venture a little further afield. Apart from his sarcasm, one of the best things about the show for me is the wacky things he (or his team) finds in every location. Not your run-of-the-mill tourist attractions.

Each episode is extremely sarcastic and accompanied by another usually British comedian, so people outside the UK may have trouble laughing or even understanding what he is saying. His accent is strong and his vocabulary is broad. You might have seen him as one of the wacky IT experts in t he IT Crowd (which you can see on Netflix ), a little like the British version of Silicon Valley, albeit filmed years before.

There are various seasons up for grabs on Amazon .

If you want to see if it’s up to your alley, here is a quick taste of Richard with some of his fellow comedians on the show.

10. Top Gear

Intended as a bit of a petrolhead’s show about cars, Top Gear has also done a significant amount of travel-related shows over the years too. From the drives down the most dangerous roads in the world to almost killing themselves in places like Switzerland. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May will show you a great time on the road and while traveling.

You can check out Season 1 here on Amazon and other seasons that follow.

11. Joanna Lumley’s Travel Series

Joanna Lumley became famous back in the 70s, but for me, she became even more famous for her role in Absolutely Fabulous. Since then, she has traveled and filmed it all for us. She has also done a “making of” series that I enjoyed. She may seem very posh and British when you first see her shows, but if you love sarcasm and comedy then just wait a bit and she will deliver!

Here is a list of her extensive travel shows you can catch on BBC or other online streaming services:

• Joanna Lumley’s Hidden Caribbean
• Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon
• Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights
• Joanna Lumley’s Japan
• Joanna Lumley: The Quest For Noah’s Ark
• Joanna Lumley’s India
• Jennifer & Joanna: Absolutely Champers

The Best Travel Shows On Netflix

Netflix is a bit of a special category in this post because they don’t have many of the more famous shows above at the moment.

12. Dark Tourist

One of the more recent and perhaps more infamous trends in travel right now is called Dark Tourism. With the recent airing of the series about Chornobyl, it seems to have accelerated even more.

One wacky New Zealand traveler, David Farrier heads to some quirky and sometimes dangerous locations in eight episodes of Dark Tourist , which sees him head to most continents. From the recent Japanese nuclear disaster to perhaps shooting a cow in Cambodia, he tries it all.

13. Street Food: Asia

If you like to combine mouth-watering food and travel, a popular past-time, then this is a recent addition to Netflix that I am currently devouring. It shows you some amazing chefs who are almost always out on the street and serving the locals with something of an obsession. From Thailand to India, you get to see it all – no-frills cooking from some of the best street food vendors in the world.

14. Tales By Light

Another show I have been checking out lately is Tales By Light , a travel and photography-based series up to season 3. It follows a famous Australian photographer all around the world, delving into the lives of the people he meets and how he experiences travel through the lens.

15. Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father

A show I have not had a chance to see, but it certainly looks like a travel comedy worth checking out. It involves a comedian and his stuffy father taking far-flung adventures to foreign lands and trying to teach each other a thing or two.

16. Somebody Feed Phil

A more modern version of a travel & food show, Somebody Feed Phil , is about exploring the places and food no one talks about. Phil is quite the quirky and loveable character, so you will either love him or loathe him. I watched half the first season and did not fall in love with it. However, given that Netflix has commissioned 6 seasons of the show, there must be a lot of people who love it.

17. Conan Without Borders

Following famous TV night show host Conan O’Brien to some adventurous destinations around the world, this is yet another travel and comedy combination you won’t want to miss. From Haiti and Cuba to K-Pop in South Korea this is as wacky as it is travel.

18. Restaurants on the Edge

“Restaurants on the Edge” is a Canadian reality TV series premiered in 2020. It showcases chef Dennis Prescott, designer Karin Bohn, and restaurateur Nick Liberato assisting struggling restaurants in scenic, remote locations like seashores, lakes, and mountains. This is a little like Gordon Ramsay’s old show Kitchen Nightmares, but more travel related.

The goal of the visits on this show is to rejuvenate these places by integrating them with the local culture. Additionally, the show offers a travel experience, with episodes featuring the experts exploring local areas, meeting artisans, and tasting authentic local foods.

Pin It For Later!

About the author roger timbrook.

Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!

Leave a Comment:

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Overview Guide
• 1 Week Itinerary
• Train Journeys
• Epic Drives
• Stunning Lakes
• Historic Castles
• Lauterbrunnen
• Grindelwald
• Chocolate Tours
• Swiss National Park
• Majestic Mountains
• Spectacular Waterfalls
• Famous Things
• Tasty Fondue
• 10 Day Itinerary
• Cherry Blossoms
• Tokyo Shrines
• Dos and Don’ts
• Osaka Guide
• Osaka Itinerary
• Osaka or Kyoto
• Kyoto Day Trips
• Matsumoto Castle
• Tokyo Luxury Hotels
• Island Hopping
• Best Campsites
• Driving Tips
• Beaune, France
• Barcelona Itinerary
• Spain Itinerary
• Greece Itinerary
• Italy Road Trips
• Berlin Day Trips
• Norway Northern Lights
• Netherlands National Parks
• Mostar, Bosnia
• Best Airlines
• Midwest Ski Resorts
• Florida RV Parks
• Washington RV Parks
• Oregon RV Parks
• Utah Camping
• Texas Camping
• Chicago National Parks
• East Coast National Parks
• Colorado National Parks
• Joshua Tree
• Yellowstone
• Alberta Hikes
• Flashlights
• Water Filters
• Sleeping Pads
• Solar Lanterns
• Tent Brands
• 4-Person Tents
• 4 Seasons Tents
• Backpacking Tents
• Beach Tents
• Cabin Tents
• Multi-room Tents
• Pop-up Tents
• Truck Bed Tents
• Underwear (Men)
• Backpacks Under $100
• Microspikes
• Boonie Hats
• In The World
• New Zealand
• Hardisde Luggage
• Lightweight Luggage
• Luggage Sets
• Spinner Luggage
• Durable Suitcases
• Duffel Bags
• Kids Luggage
• Teen Luggage
• Space Saving Luggage
• Business Carry-Ons
• Garment Carry-Ons
• Suitcases Under $50
• Travel Briefcase
• Zipperless Suitcases
• Rolling Briefcase
• Luggage Straps
• Luxury Brands
• American Tourister
• AmazonBasics
• Delsey Chatelet
• Anti-Theft Backpacks
• Backpacks Under $50
• Baby Carrier Backpacks
• Cooler Backpacks
• Backpacking Backpacks
• Climbing Backpacks
• Backpacks for Back Pain
• Beach Backpacks
• Hiking Backpacks
• Business Travel Backpacks
• Laptop Backpacks
• Backpacks for Tablets
• Commuter Backpacks
• Travel Backpacks (Men)
• Travel Backpacks (Women)
• Waterproof Backpacks
• Wheeled Backpacks
• Down Jackets
• Down Parkas
• Fleece Jackets
• Hardshell Jackets
• Rain Jackets
• Softshell Jackets
• Eco Friendly Jackets
• Gore Tex Alternatives
• Heated Jackets
• Lightweight Jackets
• 3-in-1 Waterproof Jackets
• Parajumper Jackets
• Rain Poncho
• Ski Jackets
• Travel Hoodies
• Travel Jackets
• Winter Coats
• Helly Hansen
• Mammut Jackets
• Patagonia Nanopuff
• Survival Jackets
• Flower Captions
• Waterfall Captions
• Tree Captions
• Sunset Captions
• Sunflower Captions
• Rainbow Captions
• Paddle Boarding Captions
• Hot Air Balloon Captions
• Kayaking Captions
• Airplane Captions For Instagram
• Forest Captions

The Travel Sisters

Best travel shows to watch right now (on tv, netflix, amazon prime & other streaming services).

by The Travel Sisters | Oct 20, 2020 | Travel Inspiration | 3 comments

And if you are looking for more travel related things to watch, here is a list of the best travel movies of all time .

Related:  Best Credit Cards to Use for Streaming Services

Best Travel Shows and Series

Best Travel Shows on Netflix

The following travel shows and series are available on Netflix only.

Ugly Delicious

Recommended by Stephanie from Explore More Clean Less

Ugly Delicious is a relatively new food focused travel show that follows celebrity chef David Chang, founder of Momofuku, as he explores both across the United States and internationally. The episodes are loose and casual, showing Chang investigating the history of different regional cuisines and food rivalries. His guests range widely including other chefs, writers, actors, and artists, but they tend to share similar air time to the restaurant owners and people off the street. The focus blurs between culture and personal, feeling like you’re the fly on a wall while interesting people who love food hang out and chat about it. There’s no way to watch it and not be itching to travel to a new region and try some of the foods they highlight!

Travels With My Father

Recommended by Lee from The Travel Scribes

From the moment they touchdown in Bangkok, Thailand and make their way to the famous Khao San Road, the Netflix series Travels with my Father  will capture your heart, and tickle your funny bone.

Chronicling the experiences of British father and son duo, Jack and Michael Whitehall, this laugh a minute series not only showcases some of the globe’s most famous destinations but features the offbeat, slightly sarcastic relationship between Jack, a 30-something comedian still longing for his backpacker days and Michael, his elderly ever-suffering dad. The drama (and the giggles) are mostly driven by the vastly different travel styles of the two: Jack, the singlet and loud shorts-wearing millennial who is most comfortable in questionable hostels and eating street food and Michael, a slightly uptight luxury traveller who insists on wearing his ‘Sunday best’ on the streets of Southeast Asia and checking into five star hotels.

The show, now in its third season, sees the unlikely pair traverse the globe with jaunts in South East Asia, Europe and, more recently, a tour of the USA. This is must-watch viewing for anyone who loves British comedy and travel, in each measure.

Somebody Feed Phil

Recommended by Amber from Food And Drink Destinations

From the creator of the hit comedy series, Everyone Loves Raymond, comes the Netflix food travel series, Somebody Feed Phil. Following the culinary journeys of Phil Rosenthal, Somebody Feed Phil presents food travel from the “average” travelers perspective. Phil is by no means a food professional like Anthony Bourdain or Andrew Zimmern. Phil is an easy going family man who just happens to LOVE food. Over 2 seasons and 12 episodes, Phil with his mall crew, including his brother, travel to some of the best food destinations around the world. Phil’s childlike enthusiasm for each new destination, cuisine and culinary experience is priceless. His inquisitive nature and ability to connect with people makes Somebody Feed Phil a one of a kind culinary travel show. For those interested in traveling for food, Somebody Feed Phil attempts to alleviate the fear of trying the local food. It’s certainly worth watching. Netflix has also previously announced a season 3 with episodes scheduled to air sometime in 2020.

Dark Tourist

Recommended by Martha from Quirky Globetrotter

Nowadays, travel is often painted as an Instagrammable pastime. Yet, there is a surge of tourists who are looking for quite the opposite and want to see the not-so-glamorous parts of the world. We’re not talking off the beaten path. We’re talking more about what happens behind closed doors and what rumors try to speculate. The trend of traveling and diving into the taboo and unknown comes to life in the Netflix show, “ Dark Tourist .”

Whether it’s visiting radioactive nuclear sites or learning about gruesome assassinations, it’s the sense of forbiddenness or coveted secrets that these tourists ache for. Have you ever wondered why people are so enthralled by serial killer documentaries? The same thrill takes place in these destinations. (Don’t worry, there’s a Jeffrey Dahmer tour for you true crime aficionados.) Dark tourism profits off exposing the occult or veiled history of these locales.

Recommended by Laura from What’s Hot?

Our Planet is one of David Attenborough’s latest documentary series and was made directly for Netflix. Like all his other series, this one is beautifully shot, highly informative and well-loved by all the family. What sets One Planet apart from some of the others however is the focus upon how human life and global warming are destroying these natural havens. Attenborough takes us to some of the most beautiful and peaceful places on Earth before showing us the tragic consequences that have left other, similar areas barren wastelands.

Alternating between land and sea, you’ll go to the desert, the depths of the ocean, the jungles and the coast. This is an important one for avid travellers because it will jointly inspires us to travel more of the world’s secluded locations but also to do so in a way which doesn’t disturb our planet.

Emily in Paris

Recommended by Matilda

Emily in Paris is about a young American woman who lands a job in a Parisian marketing firm. The show was created by the same person as Sex and The City and has a similar vibe only instead of New York heavily features Paris. It is fun, somewhat campy and an easy watch. While I wouldn’t recommend it as an entirely accurate portrayal of French culture, the scenery is absolutely beautiful and reminds me why Paris is one of my all-time favorite cities.

Best Travel Shows on TV, Amazon Prime Video and Other Streaming Services

The following travel shows and series are available on TV, Amazon Prime Video and/or various streaming services (such as Hulu).

Related:  Best Credit Cards to Use For Amazon Purchases

An Idiot Abroad

Recommended by Haley Plotkin, Ready Set Jet Set

An Idiot Abroad is a hysterical British travel docu-series following Karl Pilkington, a man that one could call an “idiot savant”. What everyone has to know about Karl is, he really does not like to travel. Knowing this, his friends Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who one may know as famous British comedic actors, send Karl on epic adventures all across the world, with some twists and pranks along the way. These are the kind of trips that most people would kill for, but to Karl, he’d rather be home with a cup of tea. One of the highlights of the show is the Karl-isms along the way, such as: “The Great Pyramid is overrated. It’s a bad design. The lounge is going to be huge, but the bedroom is going to be tiny.” This is really not your typical travel show, and that’s what makes it a must-watch!

Where to Watch: This show is a few years old, so it is not currently airing anywhere in the US (it was created for Sky TV in the UK). In the US, you can buy it digitally on platforms such as Amazon Prime , Vudu , and iTunes .

The Layover

Recommended by Paula Morgan from Expert Abroad

The Layover was just one of the many travel shows that featured everyone’s favourite food traveller Anthony Bourdain. It aired for three seasons between 2011-2013 and after watching the very first episode on a 48-hour visit to New York it will likely change the way you travel forever.

No longer will you book the fastest trip to your destination. A stopover is not viewed as a hardship it is now something to embrace. The series covered 20 cities and racing against the clock Bourdain showed the audience the best things to eat, see and do, usually with a knowledgeable local as his sidekick.

The pace at times seems a little exhausting and you may not manage to cover as much in your 24 hours as the pro’s do but they make it easy for you to pick a few things for your next visit.

The team covered almost all of the main transit hubs across Asia, Europe and the USA including Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and NYC. Next time you find a cheap flight because of a long stopover check the series list and start making some plans.

Where to Watch: You can watch The Layover on Amazon Prime or The Travel Channel . Some episodes are also on YouTube .

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Recommended by Arrianne Guzman from Travel Habeat

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown is a travel and food show featuring an amazing chef exploring destinations less traveled by. As it inspires you to explore off-the-beaten paths, you’ll delve into intricate cultures, rich history, and beautiful people. You’d realize that a dish is more than what goes in a plate, it’s about tradition, heritage, and way of living. Catch Anthony tries a delectable Filipino dish called sisig and a scrumptious dessert fondly named “halo-halo” while grasping how the Philippines spend an extended Christmas season. Unravel with him the complicated past of Koreatown in Los Angeles and see what it was like to grow up Korean American. Or maybe you’d agree with him how a salad of fermented tea leaves can taste good in Myanmar.

Where to Watch: An original CNN series, it is available in digital media platforms including Amazon Prime , iTunes, and Vudu .

Expedition Unknown

Recommended by Albi from Ginger Around the Globe

Expedition Unknown is a TV show that will sparkle the heart of every traveler, who loves history. Josh Gates will take you around the globe and at the same time, you will see him and other archeologists, solving ancient mysteries. You will get to know about Kruger treasure, where is the tomb of last Inka king and more Indiana Jones mysteries like this. So you will see all kinds of places and at the same time, know their history and local culture. It is very informative, fun and wanderlusty.

Where to Watch: You can watch the show on the Discovery Channel or on the Travel Channel . If you prefer streaming services, you can also find the show on Hulu or Amazon Prime Video .

Rick Steves Travel Series

Recommended by Noel Morata from Travel Photo Discovery

One of my favorite travel shows that turned me onto traveling was watching the PBS travel programs with Rick Steve’s. Primarily focused on travels in Europe, Rick Steve’s showcased an amazing series of places to visit around Europe and each lovely country. He initially visits a destination and hops around with a local expert to show the highlights, enjoy some local food and drink and see some cultural treasures along with connecting with locals, merchants and everyday people. It makes it so fascinating to watch his programs and really shows audiences the connection with people, place, culture and food makes traveling to Europe so wonderful and fun. Rick Steve’s has created a lot of guide books about individual countries that you can purchase or just watch his TV series on PBS for inspiration for planning a trip to a specific country in Europe that has always been on your bucklist of places to visit. So if you are looking for inspiration about a particular country with all the bells and whistles of what makes each area so unique and special, check out any of his programs on TV. You’ll be hooked and wanting to binge watch all of his programs in a row.

Where to Watch: On TV at PBS and Amazon Prime Video

Booze Traveler

Recommended by Megan Starr

One of the best shows to watch for those that love combining travel with beverages and food is Booze Traveler, a show by The Travel Channel that showcases a host traveling around the world in search for special alcoholic drinks in countries that he visits. I actually helped with a couple of the episodes back in the day (Lithuania and Armenia ) and it really brought to light how many unique drinks exist in every place that you travel! They travel across the globe from Hawaii to Armenia to Nepal and beyond. It is a really refreshing show!

Where to Watch: The best way to watch Booze Traveler is to catch reruns on-demand from The Travel Channel in the US. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video .

Recommended by Coni from Experiencing the Globe

Three Canadian friends decide to leave the Great White North behind and explore the world. They pack a bag, say goodbye to friends and family, and off they go. The initial plan is to spend a year traveling, but it quickly transforms into three whole years.

They spend a month in India, another in Japan, another in New Zealand. As they start feeling more comfortable on the road, the push their own boundaries and head to tougher destinations, like Libya and North Korea. They explore Greenland during winter, meet ancient tribes in Papua New Guinea and travel across the different scientific bases of Antarctica .

It’s impossible not to get inspired with the tons of wanderlust Departure sends our way.

Where to Watch: Available on Apple iTunes and Hoopla .

James May: Our Man in Japan

Recommended by Emma from Emma Jane Explores

Top Gear’s James May might seem like a strange choice for a travel show host, but the bumbling Englishman is an endearing host as he takes viewers on a comprehensive trip around Japan from North to South. Always happy to throw himself into any bizarre situation, Our Man in Japan sees May participate in all sorts of activities from dog sledding in Hokkaido to painting Mount Fuji with a renowned Japanese artist. Streaming on Amazon Prime, Our Man in Japan covers a whole lot of unique quirks that make the country a must-travel destination for all kinds of traveller types. Whether you’re a first timer to Japan or a serial visitor, Our Man in Japan will make you all kinds of eager to get back over to the land of the rising sun soon.

Where to Watch: You can watch on Amazon Prime Video only.

Planet Earth

Recommended by Roshni from The Wanderlust Within

The award-winning, BBC documentary series, Planet Earth was first shown in 2006. It took four years to film, using 71 cameramen in 64 different countries. The series was the most expensive nature documentary series ever commissioned by the BBC and the first to be filmed in high definition. The 11 episode series is narrated by David Attenborough and celebrates the natural world in a way you’ve never seen it before. Each episode features a different biome or habitat on Earth and lasts 50 minutes plus an extra 10 minutes of behind the scenes footage showing the challenges of filming the episode.

Ten years after the first series, Planet Earth II was released showing how animals meet the challenges of surviving in the most iconic habitats on earth. A third sequel is planned to air in 2022.

Where to Watch: All 11 episodes of Planet Earth , and all 6 episodes of Planet Earth II are available for streaming on BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.

Samantha Brown: Places to Love

Recommended by Francesca Makana of Homeroomtravel

Samantha Brown has been an icon in the travel world for my entire life. Back in the day, she was best known for her Passport series . Present-day she hosts Samantha Brown: Places to Love. In this show, Brown showcases some lesser-known destinations, like the Texas Hill Country, and covers things to do in that area. Although she does still cover larger, well-known cities, such as Shanghai, she will not just list the main tourist sites. Instead, she interacts with the locals and finds unique things to do in that location.

Where to Watch: Viewers can catch Places to Love on PBS and select episodes on the PBS website .

Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure

Recommended by Emily from Wander-Lush

There are few parts of the world that inspire wanderlust more than Central Asia. In this 2018 miniseries, British actress and supermodel, Joanna Lumley (you may recognize her from the 1990s comedy sitcom Absolutely Fabulous) retraces parts of the fabled Silk Road trading route from the perspective of a tourist.

Over four episodes, she travels from Venice to Uzbekistan via Iran, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, visiting caravanserais, fire temples and bazaars along the way. This series brings to life the cross-pollination of ideas and influences that characterizes this part of the world where East intersects with West.

Lumley’s dry British humor and insatiable curiosity make her a terrific host. Even if you’re never considered visiting Central Asia and the Caucasus before, this series will inspire you to follow the footsteps of Marco Polo on one of the most epic overland journeys of all time.

Where to Watch: Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure is currently available to stream via Amazon Prime UK . Some episodes are also on YouTube .

Recommended by Ruby from A Journey We Love

Travel Man is a 30 minute British TV show hosted by Richard Ayoade shown on Channel 4 (UK). Each week, he travels with someone for a quick getaway (48-72 hours) and breaks down tourist sites, what to eat, facts about the city and banters around with his co-presenter for the week. For people living abroad, you can watch some of the shows on Channel 4’s website, and there are also full episodes available on Travel Man’s official YouTube channel . What makes the show interesting is that the host, Richard Ayoade, is not a big traveler nor is he a big fan of trying new things. It makes for a great perspective on how to plan quick weekend getaways for those who are planning trips with people who don’t like to travel and how to make it interesting for them. It also makes the series very funny because watching the host’s reactions and monologues is absolutely priceless.

Where to Watch: For people living abroad, you can watch some of the shows on Channel 4’s website, and there are also full episodes available on Travel Man’s official YouTube channel . You can also find episodes on Amazon Prime Video .

The Amazing Race

Recommended by us

The Amazing Race is our favorite travel show and we have been watching it from the beginning. The American reality competition show has aired 32 seasons on CBS since its premiere in 2001. If you enjoy the drama of reality competition shows and are also a travel lover then you will love The Amazing Race . Each season takes place in a few different countries and in total The Amazing Race has visited over 90 different countries and six continents. Teams of two people (usually couples, friends, or family members) race around the world, solving clues and completing tasks and challenges along the way. Relationships are tested and there are sometimes arguments between teammates and with other teams. The last team to finish each leg is eliminated until three teams race to the finish line in order to win $1 million. Fun fact: We actually applied to be on the show as a sisters team (more than ten years ago and long before we started this blog) but alas we were not chosen!

Where to Watch: You can stream old seasons of the Amazing Race on CBS All Access , Amazon Prime Video and various streaming services such as Hulu .

Did your favorite travel show or series make the list?

Some good recommendations on this list for sure. James May also has some other travel shows that can be found on Netflix, Youtube, etc. Although it’s a Vlog and not a true TV show I would add Kara and Nate’s Vlog show from Youtube. They have visited over a 100 countries and it’s one of the best. If you’ve never watched them, just start with their first show and binge watch it through to today.

Thanks for the suggestion. Will check them out!

I’ll recommend a few new ones. AppleTV has “Long Way Up” from the “Long Way Down” and “Long Way Around” fame. Actor Ewan McGregor and his friend, Charley Boorman from the tip of South America to Los Angeles on electric Harley Davidson motorcycles. I pretty much hate AppleTV+ but this show is so very good. You might check out Max&Lee on Youtube which has recently continued on with Max&Occy. This is one of many Vanlife travel vlogs but it’s better than most. Start at the beginning with Max & Lee and work your way forward for good binge-watching. I will also add in a bonus travel vlog from YouTube and that is Sergio & Rhoda in Isreal. This couple travels around Isreal and shows details about various historical sites with a local flair. Very interesting for those that enjoy this region.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Recent posts.

• Chase Freedom Flex 2024 2nd Quarter 5% Bonus Categories
• Discover 5% Cashback Calendar 2024: Categories That Earn 5% Cash Back
• Chase Freedom Calendar 2024 Categories That Earn 5% Cash Back
• All Southwest Airlines International Flight Destinations
• Chase Freedom Flex 2024 2nd Quarter 5% Bonus Categories – Activate Now!

Follow us on Facebook

Pin It on Pinterest

50 Best Travel Shows Of All Time (& How To Watch Them)

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Most of us can't reasonably travel all of the time. Thankfully, we can live vicariously through our screens when we cannot be globetrotting ourselves. Travel shows are a dime a dozen, mainly because many of us would rather explore than deal with our responsibilities. But how do you know which shows are worth your time? That depends mainly on your tastes and interests, but we can provide some solid starting points.

From celebrities heading their own adventurous docuseries to food-loving vagabonds visiting remote destinations, travel shows can show us scenes and cultures we would otherwise have no concept of. In fact, television often inspires travel, and watching world wanderers eat their way through exotic destinations is a great way to help plan your next trip. These 50 series are some of the best TV has to offer, and even if you don't make it through all of them, you may find a gem that piques your particular interest.

50. Nomad with Carlton McCoy

Classically trained chef and expert sommelier Carlton McCoy seeks out the best in international cuisine, music, and art in the CNN series "Nomad with Carlton McCoy." Premiering in May 2022, McCoy travels everywhere in the travel series, from the overlooked pleasures of Mississippi to the corners of Ghana. For McCoy, the show's focus lies in adventures and delights found away from the well-worn paths frequented by tourists. Instead, he enjoys savoring hometown favorites from local populations. What McCoy may lack in experience and poise, he and "Nomad" make up for with its premise to go behind the scenes of some of the world's most recognizable locales. 

The first "Nomad with Carlton McCoy" season is available to stream on  Prime Video with Discovery+.

49. Down to Earth with Zac Efron

The world is a beautiful place, and it's easy to showcase such on film. This is why a travel show has to be about more than just pretty scenery, and "Down to Earth with Zac Efron" delivers in a big way. The series puts a highly informative spin on the genre by taking viewers on whirlwind journeys worldwide in search of health secrets. We're not talking about avocado toast or juice cleanses, either.

Efron and wellness expert Darin Olien visit destinations to learn about topics like renewable energy, superfoods, and water quality. Have you ever heard of a water sommelier? The experts know a thing or two about what kind of water makes our bodies happy, and a "Down to Earth" episode in France consults one of the few professionals in existence. The series also has episodes on a seed bank stocked for the end of the world, Iceland's Blue Lagoon, and the Amazon rainforest.

Although "Down to Earth" earned Zac Efron a Daytime Emmy, lack of viewership caused the series to be canceled quickly. It had one season at Netflix and was picked up for another at The CW, only to be on the chopping block two episodes later. Lack of quantity does not mean lack of quality, though, and the "High School Musical" star's travel show is a solid viewing.

You can watch "Down to Earth with Zach Efron" on Netflix and The CW .

48. The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals

Sometimes, a typical hotel on vacation doesn't cut it, with intrepid travelers opting for more unique and luxurious digs during their stay abroad. The Netflix original series "The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals" explores everything from treehouses to alpaca farms to rent worldwide. Hosted by Megan Batoon, Jo Franco, and Luis D. Ortiz, the show reminds viewers that far more than cheap motels and chain hotels are available to make a vacation even more authentic and unique. While some of the rentals visited on the show run on the pricier side, these are balanced out with more cost-effective rentals for travelers not looking to shell out top dollar on accommodations.

"The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals" is available to stream on  Netflix .

47. Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

Academy Award-nominated actor Stanley Tucci reconnects with his ancestral roots in the CNN travel series "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy." Premiering in 2021, the show has Tucci visit different regions in Italy to learn more about the local cuisine, culture, and history in a sun-soaked tour of the Mediterranean country. Though the major tourist centers of Italy are among the destinations in Tucci's tour, the host takes the time to explore restaurants and locations off the beaten track to reveal a more authentic Italian experience. Buoyed by Tucci's understated yet quietly charismatic presence, "Searching for Italy" has been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards, winning two for its achievement in nonfiction television. 

Available to purchase and rent through most digital retailers, "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy" is also available to stream on Discovery+ .

46. Mysterious Islands

Accomplished pilot and explorer Kellee Edwards invites viewers to join her on his globe-trotting adventures with the Travel Channel series "Mysterious Islands." Edwards particularly takes an interest in some of the most remote islands on Earth, visiting them with her private seaplane to examine them from above and by foot. A refreshing contrast to the hustle-and-bustle of travel shows revolving around heavily populated locales, "Mysterious Islands" offers a more serene, nature-focused look at isolated getaways. Before hosting "Mysterious Islands," Edwards hosted and published a travel vlog through her website that catapulted her into the public eye.

"Mysterious Islands" is currently available to stream on  fuboTV and Philo .

45. Ride with Norman Reedus

"Cool" is the only way to describe "Ride with Norman Reedus." Cruising on a slew of bikes, "The Boondock Saints" and "The Walking Dead" actor meets up with a different travel partner in each episode to explore the open road of America and international destinations. With six seasons as of 2023, the series has become a lasting one on AMC.

Norman Reedus isn't the first to make a travel show centered on biker culture, so what makes it so unique? His vibe, for one. However, it's also the particular variety that his program offers viewers. Reedus does not stick to just one style or motorcycle manufacturer; he also has many celebrity guests. He has the bikers' seal of approval.

From Dave Chapelle to Keanu Reeves, you'll be surprised that some of your favorite celebrities ride and are just as captivating in an environment you don't usually see them in. Fans of Reedus' work will also be happy to see quite a few familiar faces as his "The Walking Dead" co-stars, including Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Steven Yeun, join in on the fun.

You can watch "Ride with Norman Reedus" on AMC+ .

44. Epic Drives

Car expert Arthur St. Antoine entered the pole position with the automobile travel series "Epic Drives," premiering in 2010. Backed with a whole fleet of cars, often with some of the world's coolest and fastest sports and luxury automobiles, St. Antoine opens the engine up and cuts loose on roads around the globe. From traversing the Pacific Coast Highway to showcasing winter driving tips on the frozen roads of Scandinavia, St. Antoine guides viewers through truly stunning international roadways. Though "Epic Rides" puts its slick automobiles in the forefront, the travel series is also keenly aware of how to capture the natural beauty of the gorgeous destinations visited. 

"Epic Drives" is available to stream on Roku and Prime Video  with a MotorTrend extension.

43. Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern

Prolific chef, author, and television personality Andrew Zimmern delves into the off-kilter local cuisine from around the world that outsiders may view as strange in the Travel Channel series "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern." Running steadily since 2006, "Bizarre Foods" has become a large television franchise in and of itself, spawning spinoff series and specials, while the main series has undergone several rebrands. Later, carrying the subtitle "Delicious Destinations," Zimmern's unique perspective on local cuisine proved as engaging as ever. Traveling anywhere from remote settlements in the untamed wilderness to local gastronomy usually avoided by tourists, Zimmern doesn't just focus on the cuisine and preparation itself but where the key ingredients come from. 

A Travel Channel staple for over a decade, "Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern" is currently available to stream on Max and Discovery+ .

42. Samantha Brown's Places to Love

Prolific travel television personality Samantha Brown created the acclaimed PBS series "Samantha Brown's Places to Love," which premiered in 2018. Markedly different from her previous programming on the Travel Channel, Brown's PBS show offers ways for prospective travelers to blend in more naturally with places they visit rather than disrupt local scenes. Featuring a more subdued approach, Brown presents a more authentic, understated cultural experience in the destinations she showcases. "Places to Love" was widely praised for its approach to travel programming and won two Daytime Emmy Awards for its outstanding achievement.

"Samantha Brown's Places to Love" is available to watch through local PBS outlets.

41. A Cook's Tour

Chef and author Anthony Bourdain's first foray into travel television was on the Food Network series "A Cook's Tour," which was filmed while Bourdain was simultaneously writing a book about his experiences. Running for two seasons from 2002-2003, the show took Bourdain around the globe to sample local cuisine and culture, with Asia being a prominent recurring destination. In Variety's review of the first season, "A Cook's Tour" was praised for focusing on destinations less well-documented by other travel shows while providing a man-on-the-street perspective. The series offers a fascinating look at Bourdain discovering his voice as a television host while still possessing his acerbic wit.

"A Cook's Tour" is currently available to stream in full on Prime Video and Tubi .

40. America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston

Notable writer and commentator Baratunde Thurston expanded from his usual political fare to launch the PBS travel series "America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston." Thurston travels around the United States, from Death Valley to the Appalachian Mountains, to document America's distinct and immersive outdoor destinations. More than simply hiking and camping, Thurston engages in local activities, including trying his hand at collecting wild rice and surfing, to better appreciate local cultures. Thurston takes the premise behind "America Outdoors" more liberally than most travel shows with similar scopes, with an entire episode reframing outdoor culture in Los Angeles. 

An engaging look at the United States' relationship with its outdoor spaces, "America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston" is available to stream on Prime Video with PBS Living or PBS Documentaries and PBS with WOSU Passport.

39. Travel Man

Popular British actor and comedian Richard Ayoade launched the breakneck travel series "Travel Man," blending comedy with hectic itineraries. Paired with a celebrity guest, Ayoade and his travel companion have 48 hours to take in the sights and cuisine in different international cities. Starting with the show's tenth season, Ayoade was replaced by British comedian Joe Lycett, but the overall formula remains largely the same. Buoyed by Ayoade and Lycett's hilarious personalities and its limited-time premise, "Travel Man" is as freewheeling and fun as travelogs get.

"Travel Man: 48 Hours in..." is available to stream on Prime Video and  Peacock .

38. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Beloved chef and restauranteur David Chang covers all the most important meals of the day around the world in the original series "Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner." Joined by different celebrity guest stars in each episode, including Seth Rogen and Kate McKinnon, Chang learns what constitutes traditional daily meals in major cities from Marrakech to Phnom Penh. Elevated by thoughtful and entertaining discussions between Chang and his guests, the series offers a broader perspective on the meals we take for granted each day. As with Chang's other travel and cooking shows, the international cuisine-driven travel series focuses on authenticity and a society's connection to its defining food. 

"Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner" is available to stream on  Netflix  and  Prime Video with Fuse+.

37. No Passport Required

With a country as richly vast and varied as the United States, there are plenty of interesting travel spots without ever having to go abroad. This underlying truth provides the basic premise to the PBS travel series "No Passport Required," which is focused on exploring the legacy of immigrant traditions and cuisines within the country. Hosted by noted chef Marcus Samuelsson, six major American cities are showcased as Samuelsson examines the immigrant legacy and food that lovingly define each locale. Going beyond the typical fare that colors each city's perception, Samuelsson meets with everyone from the Armenian community in Los Angeles to the Chinese legacy behind Las Vegas, showcasing some of the cultures that help to make each city great.

"No Passport Required" is currently available to stream on Roku ,  Prime Video with PBS Living or PBS Documentaries, and PBS.

36. Big City, Little Budget

The prospect of living in or visiting major American cities isn't cheap, but host Oneika Raymond guides audiences through more cost-effective approaches to modern metropolises in "Big City, Little Budget." Produced by the Travel Channel, the web series has Raymond visiting cities from sea to shining sea while also providing tips on how to navigate each place without having a robust budget at one's disposal. From frugal dining tips to which neighborhoods won't break the bank, "Big City, Little Budget" offers invaluable advice. With its bite-sized episodes, Raymond offers clear and concise guidance through cities from Miami to New York as she leans into approaching each destination on a budget without compromising the fun.

"Big City, Little Budget" is available to stream through the Travel Channel's YouTube channel .

35. I'll Have What Phil's Having

After helming the long-running sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," prolific television writer and producer Phil Rosenthal turned to travelog hosting, starting with the 2015 series "I'll Have What Phil Is Having." Running on PBS for six episodes, the show follows Rosenthal as he travels around the world to check out the local food scenes. Joined by celebrity guests like Martin Short and Ray Romano, Rosenthal's comedic perspective helps give the usual travel show proceedings a more engaging approach. Though short-lived, "I'll Have What Phil Is Having" provides an early look at the type of travel programming Rosenthal would host to greater success on Netflix.

"I'll Have What Phil's Having" is currently available to stream on Roku , Prime Video with PBS Living or PBS Documentaries, Pluto TV , and PBS.

34. Basic Versus Baller: Travel at Any Cost

Even the same iconic locales can offer vastly different experiences depending on the visitor's financial situation, and this dichotomy is explored in the travel series "Basic Versus Baller: Travel at Any Cost." Hosted by siblings Alex and Marko Ayling, the two showcase how to navigate major travel destinations on a budget or take advantage of the visit when flush with cash. Whether they're discussing different approaches to visiting Hong Kong or trying the varying cuisines of France, the Ayling brothers provide plenty of information and varying perspectives on the same destinations. One of the things that work in favor of "Basic Versus Baller" is that the show's premise isn't necessarily binary, as tourists can mix the frugal and luxurious options provided as they see fit. 

A dual-perspective on the travelog formula, "Basic Versus Baller: Travel at Any Cost" is currently available to stream on Hulu , Prime Video with Tastemade, and Peacock .

33. Ugly Delicious

Chef and author David Chang looks at the cultural history and deeper meaning behind popular cuisine in the Netflix original series "Ugly Delicious." Premiering in 2018, Chang and a group of celebrity guests explore the origins of different foods through extensive interviews and traveling to informative points from the cuisine's origins. A thoughtful discussion about food and its inextricable links to societal identity, "Ugly Delicious" blends serious insight with Chang's quick wit to great effect. Widely acclaimed for its approach to asking the hard questions about cuisine's impact on culture and cultural perception, the series was nominated for an Emmy Award.

"Ugly Delicious" is currently available to stream on Netflix .

32. United Shades of America

The United States is, like any nation, an incredibly complicated and occasionally contentious place to live, from sea to shining sea, across a variety of communities. Comedian W. Kamau Bell spotlights these communities, their traditions, and their struggles in the CNN documentary series "United Shades of America." From speaking with indigenous communities in South Dakota to the extensive Black populations in the Appalachians, Bell provides an all-encompassing tour of the modern American experience. Bell's thoughtful approach to admittedly somber subject matter paints a more complete look at the country and the many voices that bring it to life as he travels nationwide.

The winner of multiple Emmy Awards for its sweeping work, "United Shades of America" is available to stream on Discovery+  and  Max  and purchase and rent via online retailers.

31. Booze Traveler

A lot can be learned about a culture through its gastronomy, and host Jack Maxwell is determined to get to the bottom of this search for identity – and the bottom of many bottles – in the Travel Channel show "Booze Traveler." Exploring domestic and international destinations, Maxwell reveals how drinking culture informs daily life in places like Seoul and Dublin while partaking in local spirits himself. With Maxwell's easygoing personality at the forefront, "Booze Traveler" looks at how communities bond over their love of drink. As a former South Boston bartender, Maxwell lends an everyday perspective to his global travels. He is more interested in looking for a good time than asking the hard questions as the show breezily chugs along.

A fittingly rambunctious travelog, "Booze Traveler" is available to stream on Discovery+ and rent and purchase through most digital retailers.

30. Street Food

While acclaimed filmmaker and documentarian David Gelb focuses primarily on haute cuisine with his award-winning "Chef's Table" series, his other Netflix original show, "Street Food," takes a different perspective. Rather than spotlight a single cook per episode like his previous work, Gelb examines an entire city's street food scene, exploring the origins of the cuisine that defines it. From the robust marks of Singapore to hole-in-the-wall restaurants in New Orleans, "Street Food" and its rotating set of hosts provide an authentic culinary portrait of the show's destinations. Gelb's everyman approach and broader scope per episode, in contrast to "Chef's Table," is an effective change that "Street Food" takes full advantage of.

The first season of "Street Food" is set in Asia, the second in Latin America, and the third in the United States, with the series currently available to stream on Netflix .

29. The Kindness Diaries

Connecting with your fellow humans and experiencing people of different backgrounds and cultures is one of the enormous benefits of traveling; for some, it's their entire purpose. In a way, "The Kindness Diaries" encapsulates the spirit of travel, as host Leon Logothetis traverses the globe depending on the kindness of strangers.

Equipped only with a bright yellow motorbike swapped for an equally yellow vintage convertible in the second season, Leon Logothetis searches for kind-hearted people to supply his needs on his travels. This includes food, accommodations, and gasoline. You'll be pleasantly surprised how far one can get in the world just by simply asking — though, he does sleep in his motorbike's sidecar when necessary. While the destinations range from all over the United States to Europe, Cambodia, and Vietnam, this feel-good travel doc is more about the people we meet along the way. Even though "The Kindness Diaries" only has two seasons behind it, the beautiful souls depicted stay with viewers for the long haul.

You can stream "The Kindness Diaries" on Discovery+ .

28. Gordon's Great Escape

Famous chef and television personality Gordon Ramsay decided to visit the originating countries of some of his favorite cuisines in the British television series "Gordon's Great Escape." In an interview with The Guardian , Ramsay shared his lifelong love of Indian food and chronicled his first trip to India in the show. Beyond his visit to India, Ramsay filmed the second set of interviews exploring other parts of Southeast Asia and its cuisine, including Thailand and Vietnam. Offering Ramsay a chance to escape the limelight he was experiencing in America and the United Kingdom, the show reveals him rediscovering his love of cooking while learning about overseas culinary traditions.

"Gordon's Great Escape" is available to stream through Prime Video , Tubi , Roku , and Fox.

27. Long Way Down

Actors and longtime motorcycle aficionados Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman reunited for another international motorcycle voyage with the British travel series "Long Way Down." A follow-up to their 2004 series "Long Way Round," the 2007 offering has the two bikers travel from Scotland all the way to Cape Town, South Africa. Along the way, the pair rides through 18 countries by motorcycle as they traverse Europe and the length of Africa. Even for those not particularly enamored by motorcycles, "Long Way Down" is a fascinating look at life on the open road across two continents anchored by two charismatic leads.

"Long Way Down" is currently available to stream on Apple TV+ .

26. Globe Trekker

One of the longest-running travel shows from the United Kingdom is "Globe Trekker," originally broadcast from 1994 to 2016. With a rotating set of hosts for each episode, the British series highlights a different region and provides audiences with a thorough guide to the sights and culture. More than simply presenting the major tourist attractions, the hosts examine local traditions, including interviews with local industries beyond tourism and hospitality. With such an impressive breadth of episodes, "Globe Trekker" set an enduring standard for travel programming in the United Kingdom against which all other travel shows are to be judged. 

Unfortunately, "Globe Trekker" is unavailable to stream or purchase in the United States.

25. Man v. Food

Eating challenges can say a lot about a culture, from the type of cuisine competitors consume to the quantity eaten to succeed. Actor and television personality Adam Richman took it upon himself to travel all over the United States to face all manner of eating challenges in the Travel Channel series "Man v. Food." Heading to a different destination each episode, Richman singlehandedly subjects himself to various regional eating challenges, from consuming massive steaks to an entire platter of chili dogs in a limited time. "Man v. Food" gave the Travel Channel its highest-rated debut upon its premiere in 2008 (per the Los Angeles Times ), with the show revived in 2017 and Richman replaced by current host Casey Webb.

An amusing look at different American regions by the eating challenges that help define it, "Man v. Food" is available to purchase and rent through most online retailers and to stream on Discovery+ and Max .

24. Tales by Light

If a vacation isn't documented and shared on Instagram, did it actually take place? Photography in some of Earth's most jaw-droppingly gorgeous places is the central premise behind the Australian travel series "Tales by Light." Each episode follows different professional photographers who tell an immersive story about exotic destinations through their pictures and videos. The perfect travel series for the social media-oriented generation, "Tales by Light" delivers truly breathtaking photographs and videos from the overlooked corners of the world.

All three beautifully rendered "Tales by Light" seasons are currently available to stream on Netflix .

23. Conan Without Borders

As an extension of his popular talk show on TBS, veteran host Conan O'Brien took his series on the road on multiple occasions to experience different cultures around the world. These special episodes were compiled in the online "Conan Without Borders," as O'Brien eschewed his typical talk show format. Traveling everywhere from Cuba to South Korea, O'Brien explores the societal morays of each of these destinations with his usual comedic antics and insight. A welcome change of pace from his usual formula, O'Brien blends biting political commentary with a genuine appreciation for local cultures, with "Conan Without Borders" winning an Emmy for its efforts.

"Conan Without Borders" is currently available to stream on Max .

22. The Moaning of Life

When British comedian and actor Karl Pilkington faced something of a midlife crisis, he decided to examine the lives and cultures of others around the world to gain a better sense of perspective (per Cinema Blend ). The resulting international tour was filmed for the British travel series "The Moaning of Life," as Pilkington contemplated love, life, and mortality on the road. To expand his view on the human condition, Pilkington visits drive-thru weddings in Las Vegas, professional mourners in Taiwan, and fertility clinics in Japan. The Hollywood Reporter's review of "The Moaning of Life" complimented the show's existential subject matter and Pilkington's hilarious perspective on the world to make its messaging less somber.

A good-natured look at life, death, and everything in between with an international scope, "The Moaning of Life" is available for purchase and rent on most major digital retailers, including Prime Video and Vudu .

21. Long Way Round

The first of a trilogy of documentary series, 2004's "Long Way Round" puts Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman in the driver's seat as they ride motorcycles from London to New York City eastward. The 19,000-mile journey is undertaken to promote the international humanitarian causes spearheaded by UNICEF, while McGregor and Boorman endure pitfalls and injuries in their journies around the globe. Inspired by the experience, McGregor and Boorman wrote a book detailing their journey, including McGregor adopting an orphan encountered along the way. The kind of celebrity road trip that doesn't feel overly pretentious or self-indulgent, McGregor and Boorman provide a unique perspective as they embark on a truly epic journey.

"Long Way Round" is currently available to stream on Apple TV+ .

20. Three Sheets

Not all cuisine is solid, which is why the 2008 travel series "Three Sheets" showcased a decidedly liquid diet as it visited drinking cultures around the world. Hosted by comedian Zane Lamprey, the show highlights local alcoholic beverages at a multitude of destinations, learning about their history and cultural impact. Of course, this examination goes beyond a mere history lesson, with Zamprey partaking in the beverages, usually in impressive quantities. Part travel series and part televised pub crawl, Lamprey is often accompanied on his journeys by a group of guests, including his college friend Steve McKenna.

After starting on MOJO HD, "Three Sheets" was broadcast on various platforms before ending its run on Spike in 2011. Most of the series is currently available to buy on Prime Video .

19. Worth It

The popular Buzzfeed series "Worth It" offers three different and simultaneous perspectives on the worldwide dining scene in each episode. The show has the three hosts, Steven Lim, Andrew Ilnyckyj, and Adam Bianchi, order three different dishes from a range of price points at varying destinations. This can entail a cheap cup of coffee or designer espresso costing hundreds of dollars while visiting Tokyo. The underlying question is whether or not the dishes are worth the price. Winning a Streamy Award, "Worth It" has been credited with changing how people approach food criticism online, actively comparing quality with price points worldwide (per SBS ).

Available to stream on Hulu , "Worth It" helps viewers know how best to check out the food scenes and types of cuisine in several countries.

18. Somebody Feed Phil

After getting his start travel hosting on PBS, Phil Rosenthal went bigger and better for the Netflix original series "Somebody Feed Phil" in 2018. While maintaining the broader premise of his previous show, "I'll Have What Phil Is Having," Rosenthal's Netflix series feels like a more personal experience for its host. Occasionally checking in with his brother, parents, and son while he is on the road, Rosenthal continues to sample local cuisine from around the world. As Rosenthal visits major international cities, he spotlights local charities and nonprofit organizations active in the destinations, providing a more community-based scope.

"Somebody Feed Phil" is currently available to stream on Netflix .

17. Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father

Popular British comedian Jack Whitehall and his longtime television producer father, Michael, take their paternal dynamic on the road for the Netflix original series "Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father." With a decided focus on familial comedy, the Whitehalls find themselves in countless awkward and hilarious situations worldwide as they bond together over their international trips. The two men learn about the cultures they visit, from Cambodia to Turkey, with the final season bringing the father-son duo back to the United Kingdom. Though Jack and Michael Whitehall's antics are played for laughs, the societies they visit are largely treated with the utmost respect as they travel through the jungle and desert together.

All five "Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father" seasons are available to stream on Netflix .

16. Extreme Engagement

Journalists and producers PJ Madam and Tim Noonan decided to put their then-recent engagement to the test around the world for the Netflix original series "Extreme Engagement." The miniseries has the happy couple travel around the globe for over a year to see how their relationship endures. While the premise feels relatively scripted, rather than providing an authentically spontaneous show, "Extreme Engagement" offers a romantic twist on the travelog format. Noonan and Madam visit romantic destinations that keep the focus on love and lasting relationships, from observing ancient fertility rituals to meeting cultural practices promoting romantic love.

A love odyssey that spans the islands of Indonesia to remote villages in Africa, "Extreme Engagement" is currently available to stream on Netflix .

15. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Restauranteur and television host Guy Fieri has become something of a cultural icon himself, and Fieri's flagship series is the enormously popular "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." Premiering in 2006 on the Food Network, the show has Fieri travel across North America, stopping at diners, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and dive bars to sample their signature cuisine. Occasionally joined by an impressive set of celebrity guest stars, Fieri has visited hundreds of locations as part of his cross-country odyssey. Due to the sheer popularity of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," many of these spots have seen a noticeable increase in business following episode airings.

As the gold standard among Fieri's travel and food reality shows, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" is available to rent and purchase via most online retailers and to stream on Discovery+ and Max .

14. Survivorman

Travel isn't just luxury hotels and all-inclusive resorts; for some, vacations involve roughing it in the wild and returning to nature through camping and other immersive experiences. The Canadian travel and wilderness survival series "Survivorman" takes these sensibilities to their extreme as host Les Stroud spends over a week alone in remote locations. With only a handful of tools and the clothes on his back, Stroud has to make do with local flora and fauna to survive these conditions for the allotted time. As a much more stripped-down and extreme approach than "Man vs. Wild," Stroud takes audiences everywhere, from the frozen expanse of Alaska to the predator-filled Amazon rainforest.

For those looking for the ultimate survivalist approach to the world's most unforgiving locations, "Survivorman" is available to stream on Discovery+ and Roku and to rent and purchase through most digital retailers.

13. An Idiot Abroad

When comedian Karl Pilkington's friends and frequent collaborators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant learned he had no interest in world travel, the two created the series "An Idiot Abroad" in response. Capitalizing on Pilkington's often innocently naive worldview, the British travel show is primarily played for laughs as Pilkington makes wry observations about the destinations he visits. Not content to simply let Pilkington take in the picturesque sights, sounds, and cuisine, Gervais and Merchant have Pilkington endure several challenges, including bungee-jumping in New Zealand and swimming with sharks in Australia. MSN's review of "An Idiot Abroad" praised the mishaps for Pilkington's voyages orchestrated by Gervais and Merchant, with Pilkington's odd perspective and observations elevating the entire show.

A humorous look at the most gorgeous international locales, "An Idiot Abroad" is available to purchase and rent on most digital retailers, including Prime Video and Vudu .

12. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

After two seasons on the Food Network with "A Cook's Tour," Bourdain made the leap to the Travel Channel to host his popular travel series "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations." Running for nine seasons from 2005-2012, Bourdain upped the scope considerably from his previous series while still retaining its everyman qualities. Backed by a more ambitious production, Bourdain visits a wider range of locales while incorporating his love of pop culture and inviting celebrity guests, including Bill Murray and Sean Penn. One of the more notable episodes sees Bourdain and his film crew trapped in Beirut during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War. "No Reservations" went on to win two Emmy Awards and multiple nominations as a testament to the show's captivating perspective on the world. 

"Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" is available to purchase from most online retailers and to stream on Discovery+ , Max , and through the Travel Channel website with a linked television provider.

11. Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted

After exploring and experiencing culinary traditions in Southeast Asia firsthand in his first travel series, chef Gordon Ramsay expanded the scope of his follow-up show " Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted " to encompass the whole world. Premiering on National Geographic in 2019, "Uncharted" has Ramsay visit different countries to learn about their cuisine and cooking techniques and take advantage of local thrills. From white water rafting through Laos to climbing up Alaskan mountains and glaciers, Ramsay showcases a more outdoorsy side of himself beyond the world of restaurants and kitchens. In Forbes' review of the series, Ramsay's genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter and destinations he visits was praised for elevating the premise and showing a new side to the temperamental chef.

"Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted" is available to stream through Disney+ and Hulu .

10. Chef's Table

After directing the universally acclaimed documentary film "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" in 2011, filmmaker David Gelb teamed up with Netflix for its original documentary series, "Chef's Table." Premiering in 2015, the show focuses on a different cook for each episode, from a Korean monk renowned for her kimchi to Mexican street food in Philadelphia. With its highly detailed and stylized cinematography and in-depth portraits of its subjects, "Chef's Table" is one of the best documentary series currently on the air. "Chef's Table" brings a global scope to cuisine while never losing sight of the very grounded and human story behind each of the cooks that make every dish possible. The show has been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards as it shines a light on everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to hole-in-the-wall dining locations. 

The main "Chef's Table" series and its numerous spinoffs are available to stream on Netflix .

9. The Amazing Race

In contrast to "Survivor," which keeps its contestants in a single remote location for an entire season, CBS' long-running reality series "The Amazing Race" takes full advantage of its global scope. Teams of two speed through different legs around the world, following clues and completing challenges to gain an edge. On the air since 2001, "The Amazing Race" has showcased some of the most stunning locales on the planet while pitting its teams in genuinely thrilling competitions each season. With many seasons of "The Amazing Race" offering a journey with contestants circumnavigating the globe, the travel element to the reality competition series is unmistakably at the forefront.

"The Amazing Race" is available to stream on Hulu , Netflix , and Paramount+ .

8. Expedition Unknown

With so many legends and historical mysteries around the world demanding answers, archaeologist Josh Gates sets out to find the truth in the Discovery Channel series "Expedition Unknown." From cryptozoology searches for mythical creatures like Bigfoot to attempting to discover clues linked to the lost city of Atlantis, Gates positions himself as a real-life Indiana Jones. Part globe-trotting history lesson, part debunking widely known myths, "Expedition Unknown" provides a fun twist on international travel off the beaten path. As an immensely popular show, "Expedition Unknown" has spawned several spinoff specials, miniseries, and after shows as Gates widens his worldwide search for truth.

"Expedition Unknown" is currently available to stream on Discovery+ and  Max and is available to purchase or rent through most online retailers.

7. Dark Tourist

Not every tourist is going to check out conventional art museums or major family-friendly attractions in their voyages around the world. The Netflix original series "Dark Tourist" offers travelers a chance to check out the more off-beat elements of local cultures, sometimes venturing into the outright macabre. Hosted by journalist David Farrier, "Dark Tourist" visits the purportedly haunted areas of major cities and tourism sites capitalizing on local tragedies and notorious figures around the world. From exploring irradiated sites to touring museums dedicated to infamous serial killers, "Dark Tourist" certainly isn't every traveler's cup of tea by the way it provides a morbid twist on the genre.

"Dark Tourist" is currently available to stream on Netflix .

6. The National Parks: America's Best Idea

Celebrated documentarian Ken Burns, who has crafted documentary series chronicling numerous elements of American culture and history, turned his attention to the country's national parks. The 2009 six-episode miniseries "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" recounts the history behind the parks and how they each capture the stirring beauty of the United States. From the enduring legacy of John Muir to the evolution of the National Park Service, "The National Parks" is a must-watch for anyone planning to visit the natural wonders nationwide. Universally acclaimed, "The National Parks" won two Emmy Awards, with critics praising how the documentary series presented the parks as a gorgeous extension of the national identity.

Released with a companion book expanding its story, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" is currently available to stream on PBS with WOSU Passport and Prime Video with PBS Documentaries.

5. The Grand Tour

After being ousted from hosting "Top Gear," Jeremy Clarkson and his co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May took their globe-trotting automobile expertise to Prime Video for "The Grand Tour" (via Variety ). Retaining much of the format from their previous work together on "Top Gear," "The Grand Tour" has participants travel to different destinations using an impressive array of cars. From Cambodia to Madagascar, "The Grand Tour" showcases thrilling routes and cars, backed by the hosts' irascible wit. The Independent's positive review of "The Grand Tour" praised the show as distilling the best elements from "Top Gear" while boasting a significantly larger production budget.

With jaw-dropping destinations and high-octane action, "The Grand Tour" is currently available to stream on Prime Video .

4. Passport with Samantha Brown

Television personality Samantha Brown has built an impressive empire of travel shows on a number of platforms. One of Brown's most enduring lines of programming to date is "Passport," which sees Brown extensively explore different regions around the world for the ultimate experience. Starting with 2004's "Passport to Europe," Brown launched several different shows, taking her informative style to examine Latin America, China, and eco-friendly tourism. Brown's "Passport to Europe" won a Daytime Emmy Award while the subsequent "Passport to Latin America" was nominated for an Emmy, as a testament to Brown's eye for entertainment and educational quality. 

Brown's "Passport" series are currently available to stream on Discovery+ .

3. Anthony Bourdain: The Layover

As someone who hosted travel shows since 2002, Anthony Bourdain has experienced a lot of extended layovers and quick detours between trips to larger destinations. This premise of enjoying a locale on a tight turnaround time drives the core premise behind his Travel Channel series "The Layover." With only 24-48 hours in each location, Bourdain enjoys as much of the tourist-oriented and locally authentic experiences as he can before departing once more. A more tightly paced approach to Bourdain's usual travel fare, "The Layover" still finds the time to provide an informative look at different city cultures all over the globe. 

Invaluable for those looking to make the most of their time on a tight schedule, "Anthony Bourdain: The Layover" is available to stream on Discovery+ , along with purchase and rent options on most digital platforms.

2. Rick Steves' Europe

Perhaps the gold standard in public broadcasting produced travel shows, "Rick Steves' Europe" follows travel author and television personality Rick Steves as he explores cities in Europe. Running from 2000 to 2021, Steves not only shares the biggest cultural landmarks and defining fare in each destination, but he provides audiences with valuable travel tips along the way. More than simply focusing on the biggest tourist spots, like London and Paris, Steves adds plenty of overlooked getaways, including Slovenia and Oslo. With a steady hand and wealth of knowledge, Steves has provided his even-keeled traveler wisdom to those interested in visiting Europe for decades.

"Rick Steves' Europe" is currently available to stream on the show's website , PBS with WOSU Passport, Prime Video , and Tubi .

1. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Television personality Anthony Bourdain's final travel show was "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown," which ran for 12 seasons on CNN from 2013 to 2018. Though "Parts Unknown" certainly retains the focus on local cuisine prominent in Bourdain's past travel shows, the CNN series weaves in more sociopolitical commentary in examining its locales. The series came to an abrupt end  following Bourdain's tragic death , with the remaining episodes becoming a tribute to the late host and his unique worldview. Led by Bourdain's insightful and incisive perspective on the places he visited around the world, "Parts Unknown” was widely acclaimed and won numerous Emmy Awards across its run. More than just a show about food and culture, "Parts Unknown" examines the overlooked qualities of its destinations and what brings people together on a universal level.

Available to purchase on most digital retailers, "Parts Unknown" is also available to stream on Max and Discovery+ .

Our ranking methodology

Everyone has that one show they're connected to, whether popular or not. "Best" is always subjective, and your all-time favorite series may not even be something someone else knows exists. That doesn't mean it's any less valid, though. We've tried to keep our personal opinions from this list and instead relied on more tangible elements when compiling our rankings. You'll find some of the most beloved, compelling, and critically acclaimed travel shows — and some you may have never heard of.

A travel show's host can be as important as the places traveled. There's a reason why Anthony Bourdain will always appear on lists like this one. His captivating storytelling capabilities and genuinely raw nature make for compelling TV that viewers resonate with. This kind of grab power shows up throughout our list of picks, with the face and voice of a program helping to boost some of the programs in our rankings.

We've considered the likability of the shows chosen here by scouring reviews from multiple sources, like Reddit, Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb. We've also factored in the number of seasons and any accolades a show may have been given. A lack of awards certainly doesn't dull a hidden gem's luster, though, so don't be surprised that many shows featured here have gone under the award committees' radar.

• The Star ePaper
• Subscriptions
• Manage Profile
• Change Password
• Manage Logins
• Manage Subscription
• Transaction History
• Manage Billing Info
• Manage For You
• Manage Bookmarks
• Package & Pricing

Global tourism is on the up and up this year

• Asia & Oceania

Tuesday, 16 Apr 2024

Related News

Malaysia will firmly address Israeli violence in Gaza, tensions in West Asia, says Foreign Minister

Ns matrix seal bcl asia spot after beating prawira, vietnam expected to become e-commerce powerhouse in south-east asia, reports nikkei.

Photo: Pixabay

Next month, Melbourne in the Australian state of Victoria will play host to the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE24). It is said to be the biggest tourism event to be held in the country since the pandemic ended.

For those of us in the industry, the ATE24 – held from May 19 to 23 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre – is also one of the largest business-to-business or B2B events in the world. It is hoped that the event will bring lots of benefits to Australia’s inbound tourism market, as well as act as a platform for the country to show off its tourism products to the world.

This will be the 44th edition of the ATE, organised by both Tourism Australia and Visit Victoria.

Many governments have been trying to hold similar events in their own countries but so far, none have been successful. The ATE24 is expected to bring more than 1,500 tour operators from across Australia – along with 700 outbound operators from over 30 countries that organise tours to Australia – under one roof throughout the five-day event, including 18 from Malaysia.

These Aussie players will get to meet their global counterparts face-to-face, and introduce new innovative tourism and ecotourism products, including fun destinations, good food experiences and great souvenirs from Down Under, to potential buyers.

As for me, I have been sending two to four Apple Vacations colleagues from different departments to the event each year, including those from the product development and marketing promotion departments. This allows them to meet up with fellow travel operators and gain first-hand information on Australia’s latest tourism trends and resources.

Having been in the tourism sector for a little over three decades, I realise that Tourism Australia (TA) has always played the unofficial role of “ambassador of friendship” in the industry.

Every year, the agency would set aside a massive budget to bring foreign travel operators as well as media practitioners to Australia, so that they can meet up with tourist product suppliers from the country’s six states and two territories. This not only forges meaningful business ties but also allows foreigners to have a taste of the great Australian hospitality.

I seriously feel that TA has spent its money very wisely and productively.

I myself took two travel groups to Australia in 2022 for more profound and intimate travel experiences in different parts of the country, from which I have come to notice that Australian travel operators are indeed hugely passionate about the marvellous natural environment the country offers. The red and white wines from the vast expanses of vineyards dotting the Australian countryside are aptly complemented by delicious local cuisines, and boosted by cups of stimulating after-dinner coffees.

I admit that I have a special affinity for the Australian flat white ... and have you had an Australian brunch yet? When we were there, we searched high and low for some of the best brunches around, creatively prepared by chefs using fresh local ingredients.

I always tell people that the Australian way of living – somewhat hassle-free and easy-going – is something that travellers should really experience, and enjoy. Through the annual ATE, overseas travel operators will get to experience for themselves this famous Australian way of travelling.

The country has more than enough nature, culture and breathtaking sights that can be enjoyed the “Australian” way, too. However, to truly understand this way of life, travel operators must first discover, feel and appreciate Australia’s unique cultural charms before they can pass it on to travellers from their respective countries.

This has been ATE’s unchanging objective in nearly five decades: sharing the many marvels the country has to offer with everyone else.

Currently, I am planning a 30-day themed Australian tour for autumn 2025 (which is in May), where we will be stepping on the “belly button of the Earth” gazing at the galaxies above, witnessing the thrills of Vivid Sydney and taking on the BridgeClimb challenge, and lastly, savouring the good food and fabulous wines of South Australia.

Australia aside, many other countries around the world are fighting hard today to seize a slice of the tourist economy cake. Even Saudi Arabia, previously shut away from the world, started opening up its borders and welcoming foreign visitors in late 2019.

This was soon followed by the disbursement of generous budgets to woo global travellers via large-scale marketing campaigns.

As if that’s not enough, the desert kingdom is also investing heavily to enhance its tourism infrastructure, constructing brand new airports and hotels, as well as a “futuristic city” called The Line, doing all it can to attract tourists.

Besides Mecca, almost every major Saudi destination is teeming with tourists who are free to roam everywhere. The kingdom has made a significant breakthrough in opening up its tourism sector, and is set to win big as an emerging international destination this year.

Countries across the planet are also lifting their visa restrictions, upping international flight frequencies, and hosting travel fairs and exhibitions. Everyone is vying for the lucrative tourist money to jumpstart the recovery of their tourist sector, raking in foreign exchange earnings and creating job opportunities at the same time.

In fact, the tourism industry has never received so much attention before. Governments are brushing aside all forms of restrictions, initiating unprecedented collaborations and doing all they can to throw their doors wide open to international travellers, which is something quite unseen before.

It appears that the market is overflowing with a vast range of exhilarating tourist products that are bound to put a big smile on every traveller’s face. Soon, tourist promotion authorities worldwide will find themselves intensely pitted against one another to attract tourists.

Even China is fully liberalising its visa requirements for foreign visitors, and this is poised to see many more tourists from the West as well as the rest of Asia flocking to its shores.

Australia’s TA keeps introducing exciting new seasonal tourism activities such as the annual Vivid Sydney event. There is also Yokoso Japan, Korea’s K-pop craze, Macao’s magical spell, Hong Kong’s irresistible dynamism, Dubai’s “Time To Say Dubai” and many more.

Every country is putting in immense sums of money to promote themselves to the world, trying to get travellers to come over and to shop, eat and party till you drop.

The good news is, people are actually travelling, and in every season, too.

Anyway, the tremendous effort to boost tourism is a positive development as it helps promote mutual visits of people from different countries while fortifying cultural and social exchanges. This is the harmonious integration we yearn to see from people living in our Global Village.

The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.

Leesan, the globe-trotting traveller who has visited 137 countries and seven continents, enjoys sharing his travel stories and insights. He has also authored five books.

Related stories:

Tags / Keywords: Melbourne , Vistoria , Visit Victoria , Australian Tourism Exchange , ATE , Leesan , Tourism Australia , China , Saudi Arabia , Mecca , Dubai , Tourism

Found a mistake in this article?

Report it to us.

Thank you for your report!

Ready for take-off at MATTA Fair Penang 2024

Next in travel.

Trending in Lifestyle

Air pollutant index, highest api readings, select state and location to view the latest api reading.

• Select Location

Source: Department of Environment, Malaysia

Others Also Read

Best viewed on Chrome browsers.

We would love to keep you posted on the latest promotion. Kindly fill the form below

Thank you for downloading.

We hope you enjoy this feature!

• The Best Travel Shows on Netflix
• Why Cruises Are Surprisingly Expensive
• Words to Learn Before You Go
• The Worst People to Travel With
• Excellent TV Shows About Travel
• The Most Beautiful Countries on Earth
• Social Networks for Travelers
• Important Things in a Vacay Spot
• The Best Travel YouTubers
• Popular Spots That Kinda Suck
• Ranking the Best Luggage Brands
• Top Travel Sites for Saving Money
• Great Tour Groups for Solo Travel
• Mythological Places to Visit
• The Best Luxury Cruise Lines
• Travel Hacks and Tips to Try
• Great Countries to Travel Alone
• How to Avoid Getting Scammed on Vacation
• Budget-Friendly Hotel Chains
• Meanwhile, on TripAdvisor...
• The Top Luxury Hotel Chains
• The Best Countries to Go Hiking
• Insane Resorts Around the World
• Luxury Hotel Perks We All Love
• Hotel Hacks to Save You Money
• Ranking the Top Hotel Chains
• Best Cruise Ships for Families
• Crazy Drunk Snacks Around the World
• Maps of Public Transportation
• Travel Accounts to Follow on Instagram
• Where to Plan a Girls' Trip
• Great Photos of Dads on Vacation
• Destinations for Group Vacations
• Awesome Places to Take a Cruise
• Where to Go Hang Gliding
• Amazing Cheaper Travel Destinations
• The Most Essential Hotel Amenities

The Best Netflix Travel Shows To Watch Now

Here are the best travel shows streaming now on Netflix. Whether you're looking for exotic food destinations or planning your next vacation, this list of travel documentary series currently on Netflix is regularly updated with new and popular TV series. What are the best travel programs to watch on Netflix? 

One of the best Netflix original docuseries, Somebody Feed Phil  features Everybody Loves Raymond creator Philip Rosenthal traveling the world and trying local foods. Other good travel shows on Netflix include Ugly Delicious , Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father , Tales By Light , and Taco Chronicles.

Check out these Netflix travel shows and vote up the very best.

Somebody Feed Phil

Is Somebody Feed Phil Worth Your Time?

Street Food

Is Street Food Worth Your Time?

Dark Tourist

Is Dark Tourist Worth Your Time?

Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father

Is Jack Whitehall: Travel... Worth Your Time?

• # 442 of 449 on The 440+ Best Binge Worthy Shows Of All Time
• # 76 of 83 on The 75+ Best Travel TV Shows Sure To Give You The Travel Bug
• # 751 of 799 on The 700+ Best Netflix Original Series

Midnight Asia: Eat. Dance. Dream

Is Midnight Asia: Eat. Da... Worth Your Time?

The World's Most Extraordinary Homes

Is The World's Most Extra... Worth Your Time?

Ugly Delicious

Is Ugly Delicious Worth Your Time?

• # 9 of 33 on Shows You Can Almost Smell Through The TV
• # 748 of 799 on The 700+ Best Netflix Original Series
• # 69 of 109 on The 100+ Best Cooking Shows Of All Time

Down to Earth with Zac Efron

Is Down to Earth with Zac... Worth Your Time?

• # 54 of 646 on The 500+ Best Current Shows On Netflix
• # 11 of 38 on The Best Guilty Pleasure TV Shows of the Last Few Years
• # 79 of 83 on The 75+ Best Travel TV Shows Sure To Give You The Travel Bug

Taco Chronicles

Is Taco Chronicles Worth Your Time?

• # 575 of 646 on The 500+ Best Current Shows On Netflix
• # 115 of 278 on The 250+ Best Netflix Documentary Series
• # 33 of 63 on The Best Food Documentary Series

You vs. Wild

Is You vs. Wild Worth Your Time?

• # 46 of 52 on The Best 2019 Original Streaming Platform Shows
• # 61 of 62 on The Best New Adventure TV Series of the Last Few Years
• # 2 of 21 on The Best Netflix Interactive Content

Street Food: USA

Is Street Food: USA Worth Your Time?

• # 264 of 646 on The 500+ Best Current Shows On Netflix
• # 506 of 799 on The 700+ Best Netflix Original Series
• # 144 of 278 on The 250+ Best Netflix Documentary Series

Heavenly Bites: Mexico

Is Heavenly Bites: Mexico... Worth Your Time?

Tales By Light

Is Tales by Light Worth Your Time?

Is Cooked Worth Your Time?

• # 101 of 469 on The 400+ Best Documentary Miniseries, Ranked
• # 193 of 278 on The 250+ Best Netflix Documentary Series
• # 13 of 63 on The Best Food Documentary Series

Paul Hollywood's Big Continental Road Trip

Is Paul Hollywood's Big C... Worth Your Time?

Instant Hotel

Is Instant Hotel Worth Your Time?

Down to Earth With Zac Efron: Down Under

Is Down to Earth With Zac... Worth Your Time?

• # 66 of 646 on The 500+ Best Current Shows On Netflix
• # 8 of 38 on The Best Guilty Pleasure TV Shows of the Last Few Years
• # 33 of 83 on The 75+ Best Travel TV Shows Sure To Give You The Travel Bug

The Kindness Diaries

Is The Kindness Diaries Worth Your Time?

Is Stay Here Worth Your Time?

Ainori Love Wagon: Asian Journey

Is Ainori Love Wagon: Asi... Worth Your Time?

Chuck and Danny's Road Trip

Is Chuck and Danny's Road... Worth Your Time?

Extreme Engagement

Is Extreme Engagement Worth Your Time?

• # 205 of 589 on The 500+ Best Current Shows On Netflix
• # 141 of 202 on The Best New Shows That Premiered in 2019
• # 178 of 624 on The Best New Reality TV Shows of the Last Few Years
• Netflix (Streaming Service)
• Entertainment
• Documentaries
• Watchworthy
• Places/Travel

Lists for those with wanderlust.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

7 Best New Travel Shows You Can Stream Right Now

magicinfoto / Shutterstock

• Activities and Interests
• History and Culture
• News and Tips
• Pop Culture
• Travel News

Most avid travelers experienced a decline in their favorite hobby last year. But exciting adventures, new cuisine, and beautiful landscapes are still accessible to us all via our favorite travel shows. Explore the world from the comfort of your couch with these travel shows you can stream right now.

1. Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy

Hulu, cnn on demand.

Take a guided tour of Italy with host Stanley Tucci as he travels from Naples to Rome, sampling cuisine and learning about Italian history and culture along the way. The Devil Wears Prada and Hunger Games actor takes on a new role as host, telling personal stories as he is joined by his wife and friends. Inspired by his own Italian heritage, Tucci is so passionate about his journey through the country and the food that he’s tasting, viewers will feel like they’re on the Amalfi Coast themselves. Season one is currently airing on CNN and available on Hulu . A second season has already been planned for 2022.

2. Down To Earth With Zac Efron

While Zac Efron’s adventure show may not be the ultimate in high-brow entertainment, the High School Musical star’s charisma and enthusiasm make Down to Earth an incredibly fun watch. The actor, joined by wellness guru Darin Olien, travels the globe, attempting to learn about sustainability and the environment. He also samples local cuisines and shamelessly indulges in the local tourist activities. All of season one is available now on Netflix, and filming for a second season has already begun.

3. Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted

Watch Gordon Ramsay travel the world, learning old-world methods of cooking from locals, in his new food-based travel show on Disney + . In Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted , viewers experience the chef abandoning his reputation as a loud, hyper-critical judge. Instead, he spends his time learning new techniques and trying new food, incredibly excited to be there and impressed by every meal he tries. Each episode features a new location and new group of welcoming locals excited to share the history of their food. There are two seasons available already, with season three set to air in mid-2021.

4. Our Planet

Narrated by David Attenborough, Netflix’s Our Planet offers an in-depth exploration of the world’s habitats, focusing on the effects of climate change and global warming. While the thesis of the documentary is science-based, the creators’ clear passion for nature shines through. The visuals are absolutely breathtaking, and the show itself is self-reflective and inspirational. With footage from 50 countries, episodes cover jungles, deserts, forests, and virtually every landscape imaginable, virtually guaranteeing a deep dive into any viewer’s favorite destination.

5. Taste The Nation With Padma Lakshmi

Explore the United States with Food Network personality Padma Lakshmi as she seeks to understand the connection between U.S. food and U.S. culture. Every episode features a different American city, where Lakshmi meets with immigrants from around the world, seeking to understand how the diversity of the country’s chefs has shaped what we define as American cuisine. This one-season series is a moving, emotional exploration of culture, heritage, and identity, available for streaming on Hulu .

6. Long Way Up

Reunited for their third joint travel adventure show, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman go on an ambitious motorcycle ride in Apple TV’s Long Way Up . Starting in Ushuaia, a city at the tip of South America, the two friends ride for more than 100 days and 13,000 miles, crossing borders and country lines, making their way into Argentina, Chile, and Peru, all the way up to Central America and Mexico. Fans of Long Way Round and Long Way Down will love this third installment, all of which is available for streaming.

7. Street Food

For another food-based travel show, try Netflix’s Street Food , and its two available seasons, Street Food: Asia and Street Food: Latin America . Each episode takes place in a different city, with interviews of three to four street food chefs and their featured dishes. This show takes a deep dive not only into the cuisine, but primarily into the people who make it, emphasizing the journey of the individual cooks. The featured dishes are often region-specific and emblematic of the conditions and circumstances of both the city and the chef. The show focuses on the vendors’ backstories, teaching viewers about local poverty, history, culture, and identity.

These are just a starting point; there are a lot more shows out there worth a look. All you have to do is go on a surf vacation from the comfort of your couch.

Editor’s Note: Can’t get enough virtual travel? Jordan Palmer has more on Beeyonder , the new travel company created so anyone can travel the world.

Greg Robertson has worked as an editor and writer for some of the top newspapers and websites in the country, leading him to live all across the country. He now calls Las Vegas home, but has journeyed from the sunshine of California and the rain in Seattle, to the humidity of Arkansas and the snow of Minnesota. His travels have taken him to Puerto Vallarta, Costa Rica, Spain, and the Dominican Republic, but he's happiest at home with his wife, two daughters, and dog.

50 of the Best Travel-ish Shows to Watch When You Can't Travel

Abbie Mood Lang

August 8, 2023

We can only travel so much ( no matter how cheap the flights are ). So when you inevitably settle down onto the couch, check out one of these shows to transport you to a different place until you can get there in person.  

Here are 50 of our favorite travel tv shows. 

Traditional Travel Shows

1. Rick Steves’ Europe

Rick Steves might be a bit bookish but that’s one of the things we love about him. The man knows Europe—and the continent’s history—like the back of his hand, and his love for the region is clear. Whether you already love the countries and cities he visits, too, or are dreaming of the day you finally make it there, don’t be surprised if you find yourself geeking out right along with him. Available on: Amazon, Hulu, YouTube

>> Get inspired with our list of 25 ideas for where to go in Europe.

2. passport to europe with samantha brown.

Sam Brown travels with a sense of curiosity and excitement that you can’t help but get caught up in. “Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown” is packed with history, popular landmarks, local restaurants, and shopping spots—literally everything you need to know about both major cities and smaller spots in Europe.  Available on: Amazon 

3. The Layover

This one is made for travelers who love to maximize every. single. second. when they travel, including the time in between flights (looking at you, Type As). In “The Layover,” the late Anthony Bourdain uses every travel trick in the book to do—and eat—as much as he can within 24-48 hours.  Available on: Hulu, YouTube, Sling, Amazon

>> Plan your own short adventure with our layover guides.

4. the national parks: america's best idea.

Most of us have hiked, backpacked, or at the very least, driven through one of the United States’ national parks. From lesser-visited spots like the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska to (maybe a little too) popular ones like Yellowstone, this documentary pays homage to these beautiful places, sharing the history of the national park system from the 1800s to the present time through breathtaking video footage, interviews, and untold stories.  Available on: Amazon, YouTube

5. Globe Trekker

Featuring a rotating cast of hosts, “Globe Trekker” is a real-life version of the Lonely Planet guidebooks. The first few seasons were filmed in the 90s so don’t expect high-def, but over two decades they cover just about everywhere that you could think of, from London to Northern India to the Australian Outback. Available on: Amazon 

Experiential Travel Shows

6. Dark Tourist

If you are fascinated by all things unusual—and maybe even morbid—you’ll definitely get some ideas from this Netflix series. In “Dark Tourist,” journalist David Farrier explores destinations with a grim history, like witnessing an exorcism in Mexico, hiking through a haunted forest in Japan, or swimming in a lake formed by a nuclear blast in Kazakhstan. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you if you have trouble sleeping after! Available on: Netflix

7. Conan Without Borders

Team Coco, this one is for you. See a side of Conan you never knew you needed as your favorite late-night talk show host takes his antics on the road to experience pop culture in other countries firsthand. Always wanted to see Conan star in a telenovela? Check. Wonder if he could hack it as a K-pop star? Done. Curious to see what his, um, dance skills look like? Season 1, Episode 1.  Available on: Netflix

8. Tales by Light

There’s something about an amazing photo that makes the rest of us wonder how it even happened. While there’s a little bit of “right place, right time” to many great shots, the best photographers know exactly what to look for when it comes to lighting, angles, and capturing emotions and feelings. Not just a behind-the-scenes look at how the pictures are taken, “Tales by Light” also show us how powerful images can be when it comes to conservation. Available on: Netflix

9. Expedition Unknown

With a background in archaeology and a “passion for the unexplained,” Josh Gates investigates unsolved mysteries, lost cities, and buried treasure all around the world. He’s got a little bit of an Indiana Jones vibe going on, and actually does get himself in some hairy situations while tackling challenges like searching for Amelia Earhart’s remains in Fiji—but without the Nazis breathing down his neck or giant boulders barreling his way. Available on: Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling

10. The Moaning of Life

After “An Idiot Abroad” concluded and comedian Karl Pilkington turned 40, he had some big life questions, as one does. “The Moaning of Life” documents Pilkington’s mid-life crisis as he travels around the world to see how other cultures tackle big topics like marriage, having children (they’re not for him), the secret to happiness, and even death. Available on: Amazon 

11. Planet Earth

The BBC put some serious funding into the production of “Planet Earth” and it has paid off. The series has been awarded four Emmys and a Peabody Award from the Royal Television Society for its breathtaking episodes featuring a different biome or habitat each time. From the Arctic and Antarctica to the depths of the oceans, if this doesn’t inspire you to see more of our planet, nothing will. Available on: YouTube, Amazon

Road Trips 

12. Long Way Round

Watch actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman hop on their BMW R1150GS Adventure motorcycles (hey, some people are interested in those kinds of details) and cruise from London to New York. They take an eastern route through Europe, Asia, and Alaska, then down to the contiguous US, usually off-road. The two have an obvious shared passion for riding, which is a definite requirement if you plan to sit on a bike seat for 19,000 miles! Available on: Amazon

13. Long Way Down

A sequel to their 2004 adventure, Long Way Down follows Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman again as they ride their trusty motorcycles from Scotland through Europe and down Africa to Cape Town, South Africa. This time the duo covers an impressive 15,000 miles—though as the episodes show, it’s not always easy. Available on: Tubi

14. Epic Drives

Come for the cars, stay for the conversations. Created in partnership with Motor Trend magazine, this show highlights fast cars, unique trucks (Ford Falcon XR6 Ute anyone?), and stories from locals in epic locations. Available on: YouTube

15. Top Gear

There’s a reason that there are nine (!) movies in the Fast & Furious franchise—people love watching drivers push their cars to the limit. "Top Gear" is part review, part road trip, and all adrenaline, and the celebrity guest drivers and absurd challenges add to the fun. Now that we think about it, maybe Rocket League® was inspired by the Top Gear Car Sports segment…? Available on: YouTube TV, Amazon 

16. The Grand Tour

Filled with bits of uniquely quirky (and questionable) advice like “looking good is more important than looking where you’re going,” "The Grand Tour" finds Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May (of “Top Gear” fame) driving unique automobiles in interesting places. The friends drive everything from an Aston Martin in South Africa to the Fiat Panda 4x4 in Colombia to beach buggies in Namibia. They talk, they eat, they race. Available on: Amazon 

Food & Drink

17. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

“No Reservations” combines two of the best things about traveling: food and adventure. Throw in Anthony Bourdain and you’ve got a truly entertaining TV show. The chef gets down and dirty in each location, giving us a look at not just the food, but the people and a fun way to experience the culture. Available on: Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling, Amazon 

18. Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown

Bourdain once said, “You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.” “Parts Unknown” brings the table to you, as the chef learns about the history of often-complicated places (Detroit, Iran, Senegal) by sharing a traditional food or drink with the people who live there.  Available on: Hulu, YouTube TV, Amazon 

19. Gordon Ramsay's Uncharted

Chef Gordon Ramsay is probably best known for his strong personality on his reality TV shows, like “Hell’s Kitchen,” but in “Uncharted,” we see a more humble side of the Brit. He frequently finds himself thrown out of his comfort zone while learning about the cuisine or traditional cooking methods from a local and is then thrown into the fire by attempting to make a dish for the community himself. Available on: Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling, Disney+

20. Gordon's Great Escape

Imagine Gordon Ramsay in a white tank top, admitting that he has no idea what he’s doing and traveling around India (often on motorbike) to become versed on what “real” curry is like compared to the dish he loves in the UK. The show embodies the sights and sounds of India and Ramsay even experiences “travel sickness,” just like the rest of us. The last four episodes take place in Southeast Asia and Ramsay continues his role as the student, which isn’t a position we’re used to seeing him in. Available on: Amazon, Disney+

21. Ugly Delicious

Each episode revolves around a type of food and then James Beard Award-winning chef David Chang travels to different countries to explore how those places interpret it or make it. With close-up shots of the food as it’s being made, cooked, and consumed, you can almost smell the warm pizza crust and feel the heat of the hot chicken in your mouth. Available on: Netflix

22. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

If you like “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” you’ll love "Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner." David Chang travels the world to meet up with funny, food-loving celebrities like Seth Rogen and Chrissy Teigen as they embark on culinary adventures in various cities around the world. Available on: Netflix

23. Street Food

Street food is almost like a culture within a culture. Wherever you go, travelers can count on carts to have the most authentic food—and people—you’ll ever find. Capturing the vibrant colors and essence of each dish, this show manages to make even the most humble of street food look so beautiful; it's like a love letter to the food and the people who make it. Available on: Netflix

24. Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern

Even if you consider yourself an adventurous eater, this one might make you a little squeamish. But hey, you’ve gotta give Zimmern credit for being up for anything, like lamb brains and duck tongue. Available on: Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling, Amazon 

25. Three Sheets

Comedian Zane Lamprey is living the dream—traveling the world to meet new people and drink alcohol with them. It’s essentially an international pub crawl, including the day-after hangover cures. Available on: Amazon 

26. I’ll Have What Phil’s Having

Phil Rosenthal is hilarious (he did create “Everybody Loves Raymond”) but in a very wholesome way. He had an admittedly bland diet as a child, so Rosenthal wants to experience as much as he can as an adult—even if that means stepping into the unknown. His friendly demeanor and childlike innocence make you feel like you are just tagging along with an uncle and experiencing a place for the first time. Available on: YouTube, Amazon 

27. Somebody Feed Phil

In “Somebody Feed Phil,” Rosenthal actually brings his friends and family along as he visits cities ranging from Tel Aviv to New Orleans. Phil’s excitement is contagious as he tastes the best pizza, egg cream—and even hot dog—of his life. Available on: Netflix

28. BuzzFeed's Worth It

BuzzFeed knows how to tap into popular culture, and “Worth It” offers a unique spin on your typical food review. Instead of just eating a meal somewhere and talking about it, hosts Steven Lim and Andrew Ilnyckyj eat three different dishes at three different price points (affordable, mid, luxury) and then decide if it’s worth it to spend more money. The guys bring an everyman attitude to the whole show, so they rarely pick the most expensive option. Available on: Hulu, BuzzFeed’s website

29. Booze Traveler

Host Jack Maxwell is the real deal. At a young age, he made money by shining shoes in local pubs and gin mills (seriously) and then became a bartender in South Boston. He found that you can learn a lot about a person when you take the time to sit down for a couple of drinks, so naturally, he hit the road to learn about what people are drinking and why they drink it. Available on: Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling

30. Chef's Table

Many cooking shows give you a look into the chef’s personality, but sometimes you want to go a little deeper, learn a little bit more. Enter Emmy-nominated series “Chef’s Table.” Each season dives into the lives and personal stories of six chefs, discussing their discipline and culinary talent while they prepare a dish. It’s the best of both worlds and a must watch for serious foodies. Available on: Netflix

31. Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father

If you’ve ever traveled with a parent, you will be hard-pressed to find a more relatable show. Comedian Jack Whitehall and his father, Michael, hit the road together to “strengthen their bond.” Dad is definitely out of his element in this one, as Jack wants to be in the thick of everything, while Michael would definitely prefer a bit more familiarity. Available on: Netflix

32. The Amazing Race

Featuring 11 teams of two that race around the world to make it to the final leg and take home the $1 million prize, contestants on “The Amazing Race” face everything from grueling heat to freezing temperatures, while having to complete physical and mental challenges on a limited budget. There are many reasons why this show is so popular, but perhaps the biggest is the relationships between the partners. Just traveling with another person on vacation can be stressful enough, but the competition adds another layer of complexity to the relationship as they try to navigate through completely foreign cities and countries. Available on: Hulu, YouTube, Sling, Amazon 

33. Survivorman

Canadian survival expert Les Stroud strands himself in the remote wilderness for 7-10 days with only his clothes, a one-man camera rig, his harmonica, a multi-tool, and often, items relevant to his survival situation or location. While it may not make you want to go off on your own in the middle of nowhere for days on end, it might motivate you to spend a little more time in nature in a place you hadn’t thought of before. Available on: Hulu, Amazon, YouTube

34. An Idiot Abroad

Poor Karl Pilkington is constantly pranked by British comics Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant in “An Idiot Abroad.” To be fair, it’s probably not possible for Pilkington to be that clueless, but he plays the part well and with quite a bit of humor as he’s repeatedly surprised and confused about the cultural customs of people around the world. Available on: YouTube, Amazon

35. Restaurants on the Edge

Love a good makeover show? Check out “Restaurants on the Edge,” a show in which three food and design experts revive restaurants that are on the edge of failing by re-connecting them with the local culture and food. The newly improved eateries offer a redesigned decor and unique menu, but the views throughout the show—filmed at restaurants in places like Malta, St. Lucia, and Hong Kong—give you a real idea of what the locale looks like. Available on: Netflix

36. Extreme Engagement

It’s your typical love story: man and woman meet, fall madly in love, get engaged, and then spend two years apart while man is filming another TV show. Okay, so that last part is not so typical, but when PJ Madam and Tim Noonan came back together, they decided to spend every waking second together and travel the world for an entire year to see if their relationship could cut it. Unlike most travel shows that visit the hotspots, the couple travels to remote villages and experiences life with tribespeople in their quest to “discover the secret to a perfect marriage,” giving viewers a real sense of place and a deep look at places many tourists never see. Available on: Netflix

37. House Hunters International

If you’ve ever dreamt of living abroad, “House Hunters International” is the best way to get a glimpse of life in another country—and where you could potentially live there. The buyers’ often-unrealistic expectations or lavish budgets have become the source for many a meme and with 115 seasons , you’ve got some catching up to do. Available on: Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling

38. Basic Versus Baller: Travel at Any Cost

“Vagabrothers” Marko and Alex Ayling vlog their 24-hour adventures in popular cities across the globe. Each episode starts with a little brotherly competition with a trivia question about the city to determine who will experience the destination on a shoestring budget and who will get to ball out. Whether you’re a penny-pinching backpacker or an all-out baller when you travel, you’ll get to see both sides of the coin. Available on: Hulu, YouTube TV

Scripted Shows Set Abroad

39. Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories

The show takes place in a fictional small Japanese bar called Meshiya in Tokyo that is open from midnight to 7 a.m. While the menu technically only offers four things—sake, beer, shōchū, and tonjiru, a pork soup — the chef (known only as the Master) will create any dish that a customer may want using the ingredients that he has on-hand that night. The camera follows that night’s patrons out of the bar and into their lives to continue their stories, but still manages to capture the true feeling of the show—that food is about coming together but life is boring without a little joy every now and then. Available on: Netflix

Based on the lives of five single men and women in their 30s in Jerusalem, “Srugim” checks all the boxes for a binge-worthy show: controversial issues (in the Religious Zionist society), marriage problems, a character struggling with their sexuality, and a bonus for travel junkies—true cultural immersion. Available on: Amazon Prime, YouTube

Regularly ranked as one of the most popular TV shows of all-time in the US, “Lost” is about the survivors of a commercial jet airliner that crashed on a mysterious island in the South Pacific Ocean en route from Sydney to Los Angeles. The show was filmed at Mokulē'ia Beach, near the northwest tip of Oahu, making it easy to imagine spending a week on your very own deserted island. Available on: Hulu, YouTube, Amazon 

42. Outlander

With elements of romance, history, and science fiction, “Outlander” is filled with sweeping landscapes, historic castles, and elegant gardens. Filmed mostly in the Scottish Highlands, but also in Prague (to capture the spirit of 18th-century France in Season 2) and Cape Town, South Africa, you can visit many of the sites where Clare Randall lived her double lives. Available on: Netflix, Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV 

43. Downton Abbey

This series is set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey between 1912 and 1926 and depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants. If the show inspires a trip to the British countryside, be sure to add Highclere Castle to your list—it’s where the TV show was filmed. Available on: Amazon, YouTube

44. Grantchester

Taking place in a picturesque 1950s Cambridgeshire village named Grantchester, this detective drama will have you dreaming of spending your next vacation in a sleepy British town. You can actually visit the actual town of some 540 people and take a walk through the Grantchester Meadows, stop in the pub, and sit down for afternoon tea, just like Sidney Chambers and Geordie Keating. Available on: Amazon, YouTube 

45. Trapped

Though it’s been gaining in popularity as a tourist destination in the past few years, Iceland is still a country that feels quite wild and remote. “Trapped” captures that feeling in this crime drama taking place in as isolated Icelandic town, where the chief of police tries to solve the murder of a former townsperson after his mutilated corpse is found by fishermen. Available on: Amazon 

46. The Kettering Incident

The Australian drama is based on the mysterious disappearance of two young girls, but the dark and enchanting landscapes are a central part of the show. This one might not have a happy premise, but the filming locations in and around the town of Kettering and Bruny Island in Tasmania are sure to kick your wanderlust into overdrive.  Available on: Amazon, YouTube  

47. Top of the Lake

Set in a remote mountain town in New Zealand, "Top of the Lake" is a harrowing series about an inexperienced detective trying to figure out what happened to 12-year-old Tui, who disappeared while five months pregnant. The country’s South Island is home to some of the most stunning scenery in the world and the show gives you enough of a taste that you’ll want to book a trip to Glenorchy and experience its untouched beauty for yourself.  Available on: Hulu, YouTube, Amazon

When a group of eight strangers from around the world realize they are connected telepathically, they have to find a way to keep each other safe from those who find their powers threatening. The second season includes an astonishing 15 cities and 13 countries. From action shots in Seoul to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the creators of "The Matrix" and "Babylon 5” outdid themselves with this one. Available on: Netflix

49. Hawaii 5-0

Take a trip to Hawaii with this TV show featuring an elite state police task force set up to fight major crimes in the state. Originally airing from 1968 to 1980, there’s also a remake that premiered in 2010 and will end in 2020. Whether you watch the old school or modern version, the swaying palm trees and ocean views will bring back memories of a tropical vacation. Available on: CBS, YouTube TV

50. Marco Polo

Yes, this TV show is about that Marco Polo. Inspired by the creator’s own legendary trip through Central Asia, “Marco Polo” gives viewers an insight into the life of one of the world’s first explorers. We challenge you to somehow not imagine yourself riding a horse through the grassland of the Mongolian-Manchurian steppe after watching a few episodes of this one. Available on: Netflix, Amazon

Ready to get off the couch and back into the world? Join Going and get amazing cheap flights —up to 90% off—delivered right to your inbox.  

Freelance Writer

Published August 8, 2023

Last updated January 9, 2024

Articles you might like

How To Volunteer in the US National Parks

Apr 18, 2024

21 Tips for How to Sleep Better on a Plane

Apr 12, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About Staying in a Hotel with Your Pet

Apr 11, 2024

Love and Road

The 20 Best Travel Shows on Netflix to Watch in 2024

Some of our links are affiliated, we will earn a commission when you buy a service or product. This will have no extra cost for you. For further info please refer to our Privacy Policy

Whether you’ve been missing the thrill of traveling or are currently feeling inspired to pick the destination for your next adventure, travel shows can help. Netflix has no shortage of cool travel documentaries and shows, but we’ve decided to pick 20 of the best travel shows on Netflix.

If you’re traveling right now, or if some of these shows are not available in your country, use a VPN to access them without any restrictions. To play the shows, open up your VPN app and select a server located in a different state. If the show is available in your country, but you’re currently traveling internationally, choose the server of your home country to enjoy the show. 

Now let me tell you why these Netflix travel shows are worth watching and don’t blame me if you get hooked on some (or all) of them.

The best travel shows on Netflix

Before we start, let me tell you that this list is in no particular order. It’s up to you to choose the one you want to watch first, but we recommend watching them all. At home, traveling for a holiday, or at a new destination, these Netflix travel shows and documentaries will set you in the mood for discovering new places, tasting exotic food, maybe even cycling, driving, or just staying at home until you finish all the seasons. Lol 

The list is divided into travel shows or documentaries focused on nature, food, dark tourism, cycling and cars, photography, family travels, and specific destinations. Enjoy it!

NordVPN has great deals! Check them out here!

The best travel and nature Netflix shows 

Arguably one of the most famous travel documentaries on Netflix, Our Planet takes you on a world tour of earth’s fascinating creatures. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough and filmed in Ultra High Definition, this show takes you to over 50 countries and perfectly captures the wonders of the earth. 

Our Planet is the perfect Netflix travel show to give you some new ideas for your bucket list. Trust us!

Untamed Romania

While most seasoned travelers deeply appreciate Romania’s natural beauty, it is still overlooked in the mainstream media. Untamed Romania is a feature-length film celebrating the country’s immaculate wildlife.

Untamed Romania is one of the best Netflix travel documentaries for those who love nature and want to discover a new destination to travel to.

The best travel and food Netflix shows 

Down to Earth

Down to Earth documentary follows Zac Efron, the actor, and wellness expert Darin Olien as they explore healthy and sustainable practices across different cultures. This documentary showcases the diversity and creativity seen across the globe to make the most of one’s resources.

It’s intriguing and can be inspiring, not only about travel but how we think of sustainability and health. 

Street Food Asia

Sometimes the most accessible way to connect to a different culture is food. Asian food holds a special place in the world regarding street food and is probably one of the most universally beloved cuisines today. Street Food Asia takes you on a food journey across Asia and Southeast Asia’s best food cities, including Bangkok, Delhi, Osaka, and Singapore.

Street Food Asia is one of our fave travel shows on Netflix. We love Asia and Asian delights you can only find from street vendors. If you have never visited this part of the world, watch this show, and it will open your mind to a new world of flavors, aromas, and ways of life. If you are craving an Asia trip, watch it and plan international travel soon. 

Also, read our guides and articles about Asian destinations as they have many travel and food recommendations. Read our guides about Thailand , Vietnam , Indonesia , Malaysia , The Philippines , China , Taiwan, India , and Cambodia .

Ugly Delicious

Ugly Delicious is another food travel show where a star chef David Chang is looking for the world’s most satisfying grub with his buddies. Despite being a professional chef, Chang isn’t pretentious with his picks and takes us on a cross-cultural food trip filled with laughter.

Another great travel and food show on Netflix about food culture.

Somebody Feed Phil

In this series, we follow the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, Phil Rosenthal, as he explores world cuisines and meets the locals. Phil’s upbeat attitude is probably one of the best parts of the Somebody Feed Phil travel show together with a lot of food scenes that will help your plan your future trip to incredible destinations including Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

On this Netflix travel show, you will visit cities like Bangkok , spend days in Mexico City , see Lisbon , and many more. Well-known travel destinations are pictured with flavors and a local touch.

High on The Hog: Culinary Journey From Africa to America

This show explores African American soul food and its long journey from Africa to North America. It has been dubbed the most engaging history of African American cuisine. It traces the process of cultivating, harvesting, cooking, and serving the food that enslaved Africans brought with them to the States.

This Netflix cultural travel and food show will take you on a true gastronomic journey. 

Restaurants on the Edge

As you might be able to guess from the name of the show, these hour-long episodes take us to restaurants that are located in some of the most stunning locations in the world but are struggling with their menus and dishes. They are located on the edge of the world but are also on the edge of closing down.

This travel show on Netflix pictures unique locations and a bit of drama, as you can expect. 

Netflix shows about travel, cycling and cars

Biking Borders

This one is for lovers of slow traveling and less-known countries. Two friends go on a 15,000 km bicycle journey worldwide, including the Balkans, Central Asia, and other countries, to build a school in Guatemala.

Rob and I love cycling, so this Netflix travel documentary series is tremendously appealing to us. Biking Borders is also an excellent travel inspiration for those who dream of traveling by bike or going on a cycling holiday. And if this is you, read our article about cycling on Taiwan’s East Coast and cycling in Spain .

Pedal the World

This is another Netflix travel documentary that portrays a world tour on wheels, but this time our protagonist visits 22 countries during his year-long journey, searching for the meaning in life and discovering something new in each country.

Pedal the World is an inspiring and realistic epic road trip that might give you ideas of how you want to spend your life and what really matters. 

Paul Hollywood’s Big Continental Road Trip

Paul Hollywood studies the ties between popular cars in Europe and their local culture and identity as an actor and a baker. In this short but educational Netflix documentary , Hollywood will visit France, Germany, and Italy.

This isn’t your Netflix show if you are looking for food and baking goods. But if you like cars, speed, a bit of history and traveling in Europe, you will enjoy the ride. 

Netflix travel shows about a specific destination

Katla  

This travel series focuses on Iceland, specifically the volcano Katla , which began constantly erupting just recently. The show has eight episodes and does a wonderful job portraying Iceland’s breathtaking beauty . Katla serves as a great reminder of all that we still don’t know about the earth. 

This Netflix travel show is a powerful trigger for wanderlust, and it will make you want to book a trip to Iceland as soon as possible. 

Magic Andes

A documentary following five characters from the Andes, South America’s breathtaking mountains. It is a fascinating series that highlights real people living in communities located under the mountains and paints a nuanced picture of the region of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia .

After watching Magic Andes read our Peru travel guides , and for sure, you will want to visit South América. If you are worried about safety, then read our guide to the safest countries in South America , and you will be surprised. 

Guatemala: Heart of the Mayan World

This documentary focuses on Guatemala’s rich landscape and culture, the territory where 2000 years ago, the fascinating Mayan civilization collapsed. The Mayan influence is still all over Guatemala and Central America, and this documentary does an amazing job of connecting the dots between the past and the present.

Guatemala: Heart of the Mayan World is an inspiring Netflix travel documentary that will add interesting facts to your travel knowledge, and it might make you want to explore more of Latin America. 

Zulu Man in Japan

Starring South African rapper Nasty C, this Netflix travel documentary focuses on Japanese culture. The film takes place in Tokyo, where Nasty C explores the city’s go-to places, culture, sounds, and much more.

Zulu Man in Japan was released in 2019. It’s a 44-minute episode, perfect for those days that you want to have just a little dose of wanderlust knowing that you won’t be addicted to long travel series. 

The best Netflix travel show for unusual tourists

Dark Tourist

Filmed by journalist David Farrier, the author of the 2016 hit documentary Tickled, Dark Tourist takes a different approach to tourism. Farrier travels to places associated with death or tragedies that have turned these destinations into tourist attractions. You can expect anything from haunted places, nuclear lakes, and unusual and weird destinations. Those spots might not be on your travel bucket list, but it is interesting to know that they exist so you can avoid them on your next holiday. 

It’s one of the most-watched travel shows on Netflix, so it’s worth trying.

Netflix show for photography and travel lovers

Tales by Light

Created by Abraham Joffe, this show embraces the art of travel photography and film and the people behind them. This is an Australian documentary/reality travel series on Netflix that follows photographers around the globe as they chase that perfect shot.

This Netflix travel documentary is a good match for those who love photography and travel. It’s perfect for inspiring you to travel and photograph more. 

The best Netflix show about traveling with family

Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father

A comedian Jack Whitehall and his uptight father, Michael Whitehall, travel across the world together. The show starts with Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, with the second season focusing on Eastern Europe. The third season explores the American West, the fourth features Australia, and the fifth is all about the United Kingdom, their homeland. On this last season expect everything from dining with Gordon Ramsay to searching for the Loch Ness monster.

A great Netflix travel show for those thinking of traveling with family. It also sparkes a reflection of our relationships with parents and how travel can be a good way to get together or break apart.

Netflix show that combines travel and design

Cabins in the Wild

This show takes place in Wales and follows engineer Dick Strawbridge and craftsman Will Hardie as they inspect eight unique cabins built for a pop-up hotel in Wales. Their final goal is to construct a cabin of their own.

If you like the British Tv series, chances are you will love Cabins in the Wild as well. If you like architecture and construction shows too. This type of Netflix show combines different elements, from traveling to design, making you want to have a cabin in the wild just for you. 

We end our list of the 20 best Netflix travel shows here. Drop us a comment if you have watched any of them or if you have any other good travel series to recommend. 

Love these Netflix travel shows and documentary ideas? Pin it for later!

4 thoughts on “The 20 Best Travel Shows on Netflix to Watch in 2024”

I’m so glad you mentioned The Latchkees! I’ve been obsessed with their adventures since I saw their episode on Netflix. It’s amazing how they make travel look so effortless and fun. I’m definitely adding some of the other shows on your list to my queue 😍

Such a great show!

I can’t believe I never knew about some of these shows! The Travel Diaries is definitely going on my watchlist. 😍

Glad you enjoyed it!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Inside Chicago’s New Neighborhood Travel Show

Elizabeth Casolo , Skift

April 22nd, 2024 at 10:12 AM EDT

“The 77” video campaign is one way Choose Chicago is encouraging inclusive community tourism. And it’s a tasty one.

Elizabeth Casolo

Chicago is home to many iconic local eateries. At La Catedral Cafe & Restaurant, you can choose from up to 14 kinds of chilaquiles. At Old Fashioned Donuts, you can order fresh donuts from a man with over 50 years of experience making them by hand.

Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism bureau, invites you to dig into Chicago’s historic and culture-packed neighborhoods with its new web series, “ The 77: A City of Neighborhoods .”

Funded by an American Rescue Plan grant , the video campaign — posted on YouTube and Choose Chicago’s website — highlights five sets of neighborhoods across the city’s 77 community areas .

Mark Skala is the creative director and founder at Skalawag Productions, the production company behind the campaign. Skala said most episodes follow a similar trajectory: opening with a longstanding food establishment, transitioning to the neighborhood’s history and culture, and then ending with a small business “pioneer.”

Skift learned more about the campaign and its progress since the premiere earlier this month.

Gathering around the dinner table

Cinematic shots of food and cocktails greet viewers in each episode. Chicago is a foodie’s paradise, and the campaign’s creators embraced that.

“Food is the hook that gets people interested,” said Rob Fojtik, Choose Chicago’s neighborhood strategy vice president and the show’s host and executive producer.

As Skala puts it, the show gets you to salivate. Skalawag Productions specifically focuses on food and beverage videography, which set them apart when Choose Chicago solicited campaign pitches.

The series hopes to demonstrate the culture and history of the city’s neighborhoods, but food is an easy way to draw in an audience.

“You can learn about history, but, if there’s no place to go to get lunch or dinner or a cocktail, your trip is going to be less fun,” Fojtik said. 

Narrowing down the neighborhoods

Choose Chicago could only showcase a handful of neighborhoods in the series launch. There were two deciding factors when whittling down which communities would be featured.

Partnerships with chambers of commerce and community development corporations establish trust with neighborhoods. This can get Choose Chicago into the door of that mom-and-pop shop, filming for up to 12 hours a day.

But, beyond the logistics, the chosen neighborhoods play a role in Chicago’s growth.

“Each of these five communities has a distinct cultural character, a distinct history, and something that also speaks to the larger Chicago story,” Fojtik said.

The series intends to challenge a narrative. As the show explains, segregation in Chicago led to inequality, socioeconomic diversity, and isolation of communities. While still contributing to pressing challenges across the city, Chicago’s history shouldn’t be ignored.

“Things that cause us to have lots of problems actually are also the same things that give us so many wonderful, rich experiences you can only get in Chicago,” Fojtik said.

Spreading the word

Choose Chicago posted the episodes online, but the group is also hosting community screenings around the city. Viewers can enjoy the same bites as seen on the big screen. 

Fojtik said Choose Chicago also started a paid ad campaign to get more eyes on the show. 

Through its promotional efforts, Choose Chicago targets a range of audiences, starting with Chicago residents themselves.

“We can hop on the CTA, or cars or a bike or whatever, and get to other communities pretty easily,” Fojtik told Skift. Choose Chicago also considers the regional and national levels with its campaigns, hoping to identify affinity groups and niches that would enjoy these travel experiences. More broadly, Fojtik emphasized the prominence of the “cultural explorer,” or a tourist interested in getting to know all aspects of a city. 

Empowering communities

Beyond showing travelers other corners of Chicago, neighborhood campaigns have the potential to empower communities themselves.

Mike Moreno runs Osito’s Tap, a featured Little Village bar with a Bohemian history and a Latin twist. While Osito’s has already been in the press, Moreno said there’s been such an uptick in customers that he needs to hire more staff.

“My bar has been slammed for the last couple of weeks, which is amazing,” Moreno said. “(The series) brings attention to a neighborhood that I love so much that a lot of people aren’t familiar with.”

Fojtik sees the series as a chance for communities to speak out for themselves.

“These were opportunities to really amplify and highlight those community voices and perspectives,” Fojtik said. “I think it gave a lot of folks who participated in it an opportunity to have their voices heard.”

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: american rescue plan act , arts and culture , chicago , choose chicago , community , coronavirus recovery , culinary tourism , cultural tourism , culture , DMO , dmos , domestic tourism , food , food and beverage , food tourism , gentrification , local communities , neighborhood

Photo credit: Drinks at Bronzeville Winery, a featured restaurant and bar in the series. Source: The 77: A City of Neighborhoods / Choose Chicago

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Automatic Refunds and No More Hidden Fees: D.O.T. Sets New Rules for Airlines

The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing “junk” fees before booking. Here’s what passengers can expect.

By Christine Chung

The Transportation Department on Wednesday announced new rules taking aim at two of the most difficult and annoying issues in air travel: obtaining refunds and encountering surprise fees late in the booking process.

“Passengers deserve to know upfront what costs they are facing and should get their money back when an airline owes them — without having to ask,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement, adding that the changes would not only save passengers “time and money,” but also prevent headaches.

The department’s new rules, Mr. Buttigieg said, will hold airlines to clear and consistent standards when they cancel, delay or substantially change flights, and require automatic refunds to be issued within weeks. They will also require them to reveal all fees before a ticket is purchased.

Airlines for America , a trade group representing the country’s largest air carriers, said in a statement that its airlines “abide by and frequently exceed” D.O.T. consumer protection regulations.

Passenger advocates welcomed the new steps.

Tomasz Pawliszyn, the chief executive of AirHelp, a Berlin-based company that assists passengers with airline claims, called it a “massive step forward and huge improvement in consumer rights and protection” that brings the United States closer to global standards in passenger rights.

Here’s what we know about the D.O.T.’s new rules, which will begin to go into effect in October.

There’s now one definition for a “significant” delay.

Until now, airlines have been allowed to set their own definition for a “significant” delay and compensation has varied by carrier . Now, according to the D.O.T., there will be one standard: when departure or arrival is delayed by three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights.

Passengers will get prompt refunds for cancellations or significant changes for flights and delayed bags, for any reason.

When things go wrong, getting compensation from an airline has often required establishing a cumbersome paper trail or spending untold hours on the phone. Under the new rules, refunds will be automatic, without passengers having to request them. Refunds will be made in full, excepting the value of any transportation already used. Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in the original form of payment, whether by cash, credit card or airline miles. Refunds are due within seven days for credit card purchases and within 20 days for other payments.

Passengers with other flight disruptions, such as being downgraded to a lower service class, are also entitled to refunds.

The list of significant changes for which passengers can get their money back also includes: departure or arrival from an airport different from the one booked; connections at different airports or flights on planes that are less accessible to a person with a disability; an increase in the number of scheduled connections. Also, passengers who pay for services like Wi-Fi or seat selection that are then unavailable will be refunded any fees.

Airlines must give travel vouchers or credits to ticketed passengers unable to fly because of government restrictions or a doctor’s orders.

The vouchers or credits will be transferable and can be used for at least five years after the date they were issued.

Fees for checked baggage and modifying a reservation must be disclosed upfront.

Airlines and ticket agents are now required to display any extra fees for things like checking bags or seat selection clearly and individually before a ticket purchase. They will also need to outline the airline’s policies on baggage, cancellations and changing flights before a customer purchases a ticket.

The rules, which apply to all flights on domestic airlines and flights to and from the United States operated by foreign airlines, have varying start dates.

For example, automatic refunds must be instituted by the airlines within six months. But carriers have a year before they’re required to issue travel vouchers and credits for passengers advised by a medical professional not to fly.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

The U.S. economy slowed down in the first three months of 2024, report shows

Scott Horsley

The U.S. economy grew more slowly than expected in the first three months of the year. But consumers are still spending money — especially on services such as travel and restaurant meals.

SCOTT DETROW, HOST:

But first, the U.S. economy downshifted the first three months of this year. The government report out today shows the economy grew less than half as fast in the first quarter as it did during the previous three months. The news triggered a sell-off in the stock market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 375 points. NPR's Scott Horsley joins me now. Hey, Scott.

SCOTT HORSLEY, BYLINE: Hi - good to be with you.

DETROW: So investors were not happy about the slowdown. How big of a concern is this?

HORSLEY: Today's report shows the economy grew at an annual rate of just 1.6% in the first quarter. That is a marked downshift from the previous quarter, when we grew at nearly 3.5%. But, you know, that headline figure may overstate just how hard we hit the brakes. Some of the drop-off came from one-time factors, which really don't tell us much about the underlying economy.

If you zoom in on consumer spending, which is the biggest driver of economic growth, that actually held up pretty well. Americans did spend less on big-ticket items like cars and furniture in the first three months of the year. Those things are often financed, so high interest rates are likely taking a toll. But economist Shannon Grein of Wells Fargo notes people continue to ramp up their spending on services like restaurant meals and travel.

SHANNON GREIN: I think the overall report was still consistent with an economy that's pretty much firing on all cylinders.

HORSLEY: Indeed, services spending rose at an annual rate of 4% in the first quarter, which is fast enough to keep the economy chugging along and potentially fast enough to put some upward pressure on inflation. In fact, today's report shows a key measure of inflation ticked up in the first quarter, so that's something the Federal Reserve is going to be keeping a close eye on.

DETROW: And, of course, they've been keeping interest rates high. How are people paying for all of this spending?

HORSLEY: You know, some people are relying on credit to finance their spending, which is costly if you don't pay off that balance every month. But a lot of this spending is being bankrolled by people's paychecks. You know, we still got a very strong labor market. Lots of people are working. Wages are going up. And most people are not saving a lot of what they earn, so that money's going right back out the door as spending.Today's report also shows business investment held up pretty well in the first quarter, and there was a surprisingly big jump in housing investment.

DETROW: Yeah. That was interesting, especially since, as we've been saying throughout the conversation, mortgage rates are still pretty high. What's going on there?

HORSLEY: Yeah. Those high mortgage rates are definitely dragging down the housing market. Sales of existing homes are down, and there aren't a lot of older homes on the market, but that's giving an unexpected boost to new home construction. Investment in new homes was way up in the first quarter. Shawn Woods is a home builder in Kansas City. He says about 1 out of 3 homes sold in that area is now newly built.

SHAWN WOODS: The inventory that people can find for a new home is new construction, which is great for us as homebuilders, helping out our sales a lot. March and April have been really good months. We're looking for continued good momentum through the spring.

HORSLEY: Woods and other home builders have also been downsizing some of their homes, maybe cutting back on some of the luxury finishes in order to craft a product that home buyers can afford.

WOODS: Before the pandemic, there's no way we could get under really 325,000, and we have reengineered some of our plans, taken different specifications and things like that. And we're bringing new homes to the market now in the 286 to 290 range, starting price. So that's helped immensely.

HORSLEY: That's especially important now that mortgage rates are up above 7%.

DETROW: That's NPR's Scott Horsley. Scott, thanks so much.

HORSLEY: You're welcome.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Mount Fuji view to be blocked as tourists overcrowd popular photo spot

Fujikawaguchiko town official says choice to erect huge barrier is ‘regrettable’ and last resort

A huge barrier to block views of Mount Fuji will be installed at a popular photo spot by Japanese authorities exasperated by crowds of badly behaved foreign tourists.

Construction of the mesh net – 2.5 metres (8ft) high and the length of a cricket pitch at 20 metres – will begin as early as next week, an official from Fujikawaguchiko town said on Friday.

“It’s regrettable we have to do this, because of some tourists who can’t respect rules,” leaving litter behind and ignoring traffic regulations, he told Agence France-Presse.

It is the latest direct action in Japan against over-tourism after residents of Kyoto’s geisha district banned visitors from small private alleys this year.

Record numbers of overseas tourists are travelling to Japan, where the number of monthly visitors exceeded 3 million in March for the first time.

Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, can be photographed from many spots in the resort town of Fujikawaguchiko. This viewpoint is particularly popular because the majestic – and active – volcano appears behind a Lawson convenience store, which are ubiquitous in Japan.

Due to this visual juxtaposition, “a reputation has spread on social media that this spot is very Japanese, making it a popular photo location”, said the town official, who declined to be named.

The mostly non-Japanese tourists are overcrowding a stretch of pavement next to the Lawson shop, he said.

After traffic signs and repeated warnings from security guards were ignored, the town in Yamanashi region decided on the huge screen as a last resort.

The measure is also meant to protect a nearby dental clinic against tourists who sometimes park there without permission and have even been seen climbing on to the roof of the clinic to get the perfect shot, the official said.

The town wished it had not been forced to take action, the official said, adding that the current plan was for the screen to stay up until the situation improves.

Japan has been a booming tourist destination since pandemic-era border restrictions were lifted, and the government has been working hard to boost visitor numbers. But this has not been universally welcomed, including in Kyoto, where people have complained of snap-happy tourists harassing the city’s immaculately dressed geisha.

This summer, hikers using the most popular route to climb Mount Fuji will be charged ¥2,000 each (£10.50, $13.35, A$20.50), with numbers capped to ease congestion.

Other destinations are also struggling with over-tourism. On Thursday, Venice began charging day-trippers to enter the city, while last week tens of thousands of people across the Canary Islands called for a freeze on visitor numbers .

• Asia Pacific

More on this story

Seville to charge tourists to visit neo-Moorish square to limit numbers

Venice awaits Unesco heritage ruling as beds for tourists outnumber residents for first time

‘Everyone has the same dream’: Mount Fuji grapples with rise in tourism

Wish you weren’t here! How tourists are ruining the world’s greatest destinations

The world’s most perfect places are being turned into backdrops for our tourist selfies

‘Summer will be monstrous’: Barcelona wrestles with revival of mass tourism

Wish you weren’t here: the photos that show an hour in the life of ‘quiet’ tourist hotspots

Overtourism in Europe's historic cities sparks backlash

Most viewed.

‘Conan O’Brien Must Go’ Is a Keeper: TV Review

Legendary talk show host and hot wing evangelist returns to television with hilarious new Max travel show

By Stephen Rodrick

Stephen Rodrick

• ‘The Dynasty’: How the Apple TV+ Documentary Chronicled the New England Patriots’ Legacy After Their Championship Run 2 months ago
• SXSW Doc ‘Clemente’ Showcases the Enduring Influence of a Pioneering MLB Star 2 months ago
• Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos on ‘Poor Things,’ Crazy Rehearsals and Never Making a Taylor Swift Joke Again 2 months ago

The key to understanding Conan O’Brien’s comedy is knowing that it comes from a point of kindness. Yes, I know in this age of comics punching down , this kind of compliment may leave you with a neon “Must Avoid!” sign flashing in your bleary eyes — but stay with me.

Popular on Variety

Conan’s three-decade run as a talk show host ended in 2021 under less-than-optimal circumstances , as he wound down his TBS show during the pandemic year. He talked to longtime sidekick Andy Richter , who sat among dozens of cardboard cutout fans. O’Brien quipped that they were last in line for the vaccine because the CDC had looked at the shows and “they said ours is the least essential of pretty much all the non-essential shows.”

There was some truth in that, but Conan had already started his move to other outlets , starting with his “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast in 2018.

The podcast is funny and sweet, especially the pre-interview segments with longtime associate Sona Movsesian and producer Matt Gourley. Conan mocks Sona’s legendarily bad work habits. and Gourley’s flea market predilections, but any kind of comedic acid is reserved for the self-lacerating O’Brien. (On a recent episode, Conan runs down his own looks, and it is cruel and hilarious, but part of me is thinking, “Dude, cut yourself a break.”). The only time things get contentious is when Conan visited by longtime friend Kevin Nealon — perhaps the podcast’s best episodes.

The podcast had an offshoot called “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan,” on which O’Brien would talk to a fan, often in a faraway land. That led to O’Brien traveling to Norway, Thailand, Ireland and Argentina to meet them. Why? Well, a dour and ominous narrator, aka Werner Herzog, offered this rationale at the beginning of each episode: “Once a proud talk show host, he’s been driven by a changing ecosystem to a drier and harsher climate: the weekly podcast. Here , without the nourishment of his studio audience, this clown with dull , tiny eyes, the eye of a crudely painted doll , is forced to feed on that meagerest of morsels: the random call-in fan. Unhinged by the feral scent of their mild enthusiasm. He scavenges in distant lands uninvited, fueled by a bottomless hunger for recognition , and the occasional selfie.”

It’s a self-deprecating bit, but it’s also the truth. Conan has been doing travel shows for years, most notably one to Movsesian’s native Armenia , as well as a chaotic trip to Finland where O’Brien is treated as a god because of his physical resemblance to the Finnish president who happens to be a woman. He clearly loves the journey. And he loves the comedy set piece–see his classic “Old Timey Baseball” opus — which has always been an essential part of his appeal.

The encounters work because O’Brien doesn’t treat his new friends as fools — rather , he revels in the fact that he is the fool. (See his instant-classic appearance on “Hot Ones,” the show where interviews are conducted while the celebrity consumes increasingly acidic chicken wings. Conan rhapsodizes on comedy being all around us as green-yellow mucus drips down his nose.) Of course, there are exceptions made for old friends. Conan goes out for asada in Buenos Aires with the effete and erudite Jordan Schlansky, a longtime producer and frenemy. Schlansky and Conan are the Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon of American cable , and on his TBS show and podcast the two have tangled over Japanese customs, Conan hosting Schlansky’s bachelor party in his own office, and Schlansky hiding an expensive Espresso machine in an inaccessible part of their offices. (As with the Courtney Thorne-Smith segment, Conan’s visceral malice toward Schlansky works because it is so out-of-character).

During the Argentina episode, they get into a fierce argument about the proper pronunciation of the word “tango,” Conan then licks Schlansky’s favorite cut of meat — wait, that came out wrong. After, they go on an ill-fated trip to the Pampas, where both fail spectacularly at gaucho life.

Not everything works. O’Brien does a self-referential bit about the expensive drone he is using on the first show , and for the next four episodes I am distracted every time I see a beautiful shot thinking about the drone’s specifications and capabilities. Some of the stuff goes on a bit long, but so does my writing.

These are minor quibbles. If you’re a Conan fan, you’ll treasure the trips, just like his completists treasure encounters with a masturbating bear. The series ends with Conan tracing his family’s roots in Ireland. He comes across his ancestor’s land, makes a few jokes, but then looks at the land, clearly moved. Conan O’Brien has played the fool long enough; we grant him this moment of humanity with all our hearts.

All four episodes of “Conan O’Brien Must Go” are now available on Max.

More From Our Brands

Meet the mvp of ‘shōgun’ — ex-punk rocker and japanese movie star tadanobu asano, inside a $3.3 million one-bedroom condo in l.a.’s famed sierra towers, vince mcmahon lists final tko shares for sale, be tough on dirt but gentle on your body with the best soaps for sensitive skin, ncis: hawai’i stars react to cancellation: ‘this is a huge loss for representation’, verify it's you, please log in.