Not worth it. Tourists rate popular cities across the world that left them disappointed

Glamorous TikToks and wanderlust-fueled travel blogs have turned many cities into viral sensations. From postcard-perfect alleyways to rooftop views bathed in golden light, digital content often paints a picture of perfection. But for many tourists, the real experience doesn’t always match the one promised on-screen.

When a long-anticipated destination fails to deliver, the disappointment can feel surprisingly intense. In rare cases, it’s even been classified as a psychological phenomenon called Paris Syndrome—a condition where the emotional gap between expectation and reality causes stress, anxiety, or physical discomfort. While extreme, it highlights a growing pattern in global travel: destinations that simply don’t live up to their own reputation.

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To identify where the biggest mismatches occur, Radical Storage analysed 97,409 tourist reviews across 100 of the world’s most visited cities. The data was used to pinpoint which destinations left travellers least impressed—those that consistently received feedback suggesting the hype overshadowed the actual experience.

Most disappointing tourist destinations in 2025

Despite Cancún being one of the most popular beach destinations in Mexico – and actually planned and built for tourists – it has the highest percentage of negative reviews in the study (14.2%) including the greatest number of reviews including the word “disappoint”. The city also has the highest frequency of reviews referencing “rip off” – so think before you buy when visiting.

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Second to Cancún is Antalya, Turkey’s so-called “capital of tourism”, followed by another beach destination, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic came in third at 11.9%, while Beijing, China, ranked fourth with 11.2%, where reviews frequently mentioned language barriers and air quality. Orlando in the United States, known for its theme parks, rounded out the top five at 10.6%, with some visitors reporting long wait times and overall fatigue from the city's high-energy pace.

Rank	City	Country	Negative Comments in Reviews
1	Cancún	Mexico	14.2%
2	Antalya	Turkey	12.2%
3	Punta Cana	Dominican Republic	11.9%
4	Beijing	China	11.2%
5	Orlando	United States	10.6%

Source: Radical Storage

Cities that did not disappoint tourists

Several cities not only met but surpassed tourist expectations, with visitors leaving largely positive feedback. By analysing destinations with the lowest share of negative reviews, the study highlights places most likely to offer a satisfying travel experience.

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Guangzhou in China emerged as the top performer, with just 0.8% of reviews featuring negative comments. Lima, the capital of Peru, ranked second, followed by Muscat in Oman—both identified as destinations least likely to disappoint travellers.