by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 9:15 AM ET, Wed September 16, 2026
What happens when a “Not Hot” destination suddenly gets hot? And can steering travellers away from the world’s most crowded hotspots really make a difference?
Those questions are at the centre of the newest episode of You Came to the Right Place, where hosts Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton to talk about the company’s 2027 Not Hot List, overtourism and why travellers may want to start looking beyond the obvious.
For the first time, the list also includes a Canadian destination: Whitehorse, Yukon.
“Not Hot is all about trying to get the lesser-known and emerging destinations ready to welcome more and more travelers,” Thornton says.
Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton (Photo Credit: Courtesy Intrepid Travel)
“We know that increased tourism can have a really outsized positive impact upon communities and economies. So for us, the Not Hot List is about better tourism, not simply less tourism.”
But once you shine a spotlight on a lesser-visited destination, how do you prevent it from becoming the next overcrowded hotspot?
RELATED: Intrepid Releases 2027 Not Hot List
“The goal for us isn't simply unlimited growth. It's, it's always about responsible growth,” Thornton says. “So for us, success means that more local people will benefit without creating another overcrowded hotspot.”
The conversation also explores what changing traveller behaviour could mean for travel advisors. Intrepid says 93% of Canadian travellers would consider changing their travel habits to reduce overtourism, while 81% want to visit places that aren't heavily featured on social media.
For advisors, Thornton says selling the unfamiliar begins with understanding what the client actually wants — whether that's adventure, wilderness, culture, local food or simply fewer crowds — and matching those interests with destinations they may never have considered.
The episode also touches on:
- Why Whitehorse became the first Canadian destination on Intrepid’s Not Hot List
- What makes a destination “Not Hot” — and tourism-ready
- Whether redirecting travellers can meaningfully address overtourism
- How social media is influencing where people travel
- Why experienced travellers are increasingly looking beyond traditional bucket-list destinations
- How advisors can confidently sell places their clients may not know
- Why responsible growth matters more than simply increasing visitor numbers
As always, the episode wraps up with The Pulse Check, where Thornton reveals whether he’s Team Window or Aisle, carry-on or checked bag, the famously “hot” destination he can’t resist and the travel behaviour he’d permanently ban.
Natasha and Jen have a few additions to the banned list of their own.
RELATED: ITAC and Intrepid Travel Announce New Partnership
Episode 13 of You Came to the Right Place, “The Road Less Travelled: Inside Intrepid’s ‘Not Hot List’ with CEO James Thornton,” is available now on all major podcast platforms.
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