A new travel trend is gaining popularity where budget-conscious travelers are seeking out “dupe” destinations. These hidden gems offer a similar experience to popular hotspots, but with a fraction of the cost and tourist traffic. Brett Keller, CEO, Priceline, joined TheStreet to discuss this trend as well as the most in-demand destinations.
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CONWAY GITTENS: So, Brett, there’s a trend that I heard you talk about in another interview that I wanted you to really boil down for us, this idea of the dupe, the dupe trip. Can you talk to us about it and what are the destinations that are in favor?
BRETT KELLER: Sure well, it’s not uncommon, obviously, as you’re scrolling through your Instagram or your Facebook feed to see people posting pictures in top destinations around the world that are very crowded, especially during peak leisure travel periods. And so a dupe destination is to find a location that’s similar, offers the same type of quality of experience, whether it’s food, whether it’s landscape, et cetera. But you’re going to a destination that is less crowded, that might have lower prices because there’s just less demand for that. And just about any market in the world, you can find something similar if you’re willing to do a little more research and go off the beaten path there. And there are a number of bloggers and writers out there who are proposing alternative destinations as a dupe destination for you, and it can deliver great savings and have fewer crowds. You may miss some of the most well known attractions in the world, like the Eiffel Tower, but you can still have that experience of being in France, but not necessarily in Paris.
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CONWAY GITTENS: So give me some idea of some of the dupes out there.
BRETT KELLER: Well, if you’re going to Greece, for example, obviously everyone wants to go to some of the top islands where there are a lot of events and parties taking place, but many people want to go there just to relax. And in fact, if you fly into Athens, you can drive right down the coastline and be in a beautiful, beautiful part of Greece without having to deal with many of the crowds on some of these other packed islands. So some of it is just, you know, getting in a car and driving to a new destination and trying something new.
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