I'm a travel agent - the world's most overrated tourist destination is like visiting a motorway petrol station

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

It can often be tricky when trying to find a new destination to discover.
But a travel agent – who has been jet-setting around the world for the last 30 years - has revealed the places he wouldn't recommend anyone going to visit.
Carlos Lavilla, who works for Turama, took to the Spanish holiday company's TikTok to warn the account's 29.7k followers of the 'five tourist destinations that, as a professional travel agent, [he] considers to be the most overrated', and that he 'doesn't usually recommend to [his] customers'.
The country in fifth place, for Carlos, is Cape Verde – an archipelago, made up of 10 volcanic islands, in West Africa.
Last year, Cape Verde welcomed a record 1.2 million tourists – but Carlos insists it's no replacement for Spain 's Canary Islands.
Speaking in Spanish, he says: 'In my opinion, travelling to Cape Verde as an alternative to the Canary Islands is like buying a Fiat Panda thinking you're getting a Ferrari F40.
'No matter how you try to dress it up, there's simply no comparison.'
In fourth place was Johannesburg - one of the largest cities in South Africa, and home to plenty of wildlife safaris, as well as the Apartheid Museum.
Taking about Johannesburg, South Africa, Carlos says: 'You'll be able to say you were robbed in one of the ugliest cities on Earth'
Although many tourists love it there, according to Statista, between 2022 and 2023, Johannesburg experienced more contact crime incidents than any other city – mainly consisting of common assaults.
And it's the high crime rate that leaves a sour taste for Carlos, who sneers: 'You'll be able to say you were robbed in one of the ugliest cities on Earth.'
Many will be surprised to hear that it's Hawaii in third place on Carlos' list.
The reason?
There are far 'more interesting' yet similar destinations, says Carlos.
He continues: 'With a couple of honourable exceptions (which do exist), Hawaii is the ideal destination for an American retiree, over 70, who has a collection of shirts at home that he doesn't dare to wear anywhere else.
'If that's not your case, I assure you there are much more interesting and far less predictable alternatives.'
Next up is South Korea, a country which is predicted to welcome more than 20 million tourists in 2025 – a record-breaking number.
But Carlos says you shouldn't bother.
He explains: 'South Korea is excessively expensive for what it offers. The treatment of foreign tourists leaves much to be desired.
'I find it bland, insipid, and rather sad. You may return home shrouded in a great depression.'
The most overrated destination in the world, for Carlos, is Doha, Qatar – which welcomed a record-breaking 1.5 million international tourists in the first three months of 2025.
Despite this, Carlos says visiting Doha is like visiting a 'petrol station in the middle of a motorway'.
He adds: 'It's a place where you stop briefly to relieve yourself, grab a quick bite, rest for a few minutes, and then carry on. There's nothing more to it.'