Dubai tops 2026 ranking of the world’s leading travel destinations online

Dubai, UAE, has topped a 2026 ranking of global travel destinations based on online search and social media activity, according to a new study by Players Time, which analysed data across more than 240 destinations.

The company developed its ‘Instagrammability Index’ by combining Google search demand with hashtag volumes on Instagram and TikTok. The data was normalised to produce scores ranging from zero to 100, with Instagram activity receiving additional weighting.

Dubai achieved a score of 100, supported by more than 190 million posts across Instagram and TikTok and 3.43 million monthly Google searches.

London and Paris followed Dubai in the city rankings, while Barcelona recorded the highest search volume. The Spanish city generated 23 million monthly Google searches and 97 million Instagram posts.

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai was named the world’s leading landmark, recording more than 10 million tagged posts and 1.1 million monthly Google searches. The Eiffel Tower in Paris ranked second, followed by the Grand Canyon in Arizona, US. Other highly searched landmarks included the Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu. Of the top 20 landmarks, eight were located in Europe.

The study also identified Spain’s Setenil de las Bodegas as the leading unusual destination. The Andalusian town, known for its houses built into rock formations, topped a ranking of lesser-known attractions.

Stanislava Savisheva, data analyst at Players Time, said: “The high September search volumes for landmarks like Machu Picchu and Taj Mahal confirm the ‘Super September’ is no longer just a budget travel secret. It has become a deliberate choice. Travellers are actively shifting their planning to early autumn to avoid intense heatwaves and peak seasonal crowding.”

In other travel trends, a recent Global Rescue study found outdoor activities to be the leading motivation for international travel.