Euronews lists dupes for Kyoto

Euronews published a travel article on Aug. 5 recommending “dupes” for heavily visited destinations including Kyoto, Venice and Lake Como, as travel publishers continue to focus on overtourism and crowd avoidance. The piece, written by Dianne Apen-Sadler, told readers they could seek out places that offer some of the appeal of marquee destinations without the same level of tourist concentration. Euronews framed the list as a way to avoid crowds while directing spending toward less saturated destinations. ### Which place did Euronews suggest instead of Kyoto? Jeonju, South Korea, was the Kyoto alternative named in the Euronews roundup. The article described Jeonju as a place where travelers can find traditional architecture and cultural sites that echo some of the reasons Kyoto draws visitors, while avoiding Japan’s better-known tourist bottleneck. Holafly’s Travel Dupe Index, which circulated on Aug. 4 and was cited across syndicated coverage, also ranked Jeonju as the substitute for Kyoto. (euronews.com) In that index, Jeonju’s hanok village, Gyeonggijeon Shrine, museum offerings and association with bibimbap were listed among the reasons it compares well with Kyoto for travelers seeking heritage-focused trips. (travel.yahoo.com) ### What other swaps appeared in the Euronews piece? Ghent, Belgium, was listed as the Venice alternative, and Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia was named as the replacement for Lake Como. The Euronews article presented those destinations as options for travelers who want canals, lakeside scenery or historic settings without choosing some of Europe’s most crowded leisure markets. (manilatimes.net) The same broader ranking also paired Banff with Aspen, Budva with Ibiza and Cascais with Saint-Tropez. Euronews’ article focused on a smaller set of examples, but the underlying framing matched the wider “travel dupe” pitch that has been circulating this week. ### Where did this “destination dupe” idea come from? (travel.yahoo.com) Holafly said in a GlobeNewswire release dated Aug. 4 that its first Travel Dupe Index compared iconic destinations with alternatives in other countries. The company said it used a weighted model based on visual and cultural similarity, accommodation costs, overtourism, accessibility and social momentum. (manilatimes.net) Euronews’ Aug. 5 article did not present the concept as a government measure or a formal tourism policy. It presented the alternatives as a traveler-facing response to crowding at famous destinations such as Kyoto and Venice. ### Why is Kyoto part of this conversation now? Kyoto has become a regular reference point in reporting on overtourism in Japan, and Euronews included it in that context. (manilatimes.net) The article said some travelers cannot shift to shoulder-season or off-season trips, making alternative destinations part of the appeal. The travel-dupe framing also fits with wider coverage this week about redirecting visitors away from the most congested tourism hubs. (euronews.com) In this case, Euronews’ contribution was to package that idea into a practical list with named substitutes readers could book instead. ### What can readers verify in the original article? (travel.yahoo.com) The Euronews story was published on Aug. 5 on the outlet’s travel vertical and identifies Jeonju as the Kyoto dupe, alongside alternatives for Venice and Lake Como. Yahoo Travel’s republication of the piece attributes it to Euronews and Dianne Apen-Sadler and preserves the same destination list. As of Aug. 6, the article remained available on Euronews’ site with the full roundup of named alternatives for travelers comparing Kyoto, Venice and Lake Como with less crowded options. (euronews.com) (travel.yahoo.com)