The velvet rope has gone up around some of the world’s most beautiful places.

The world of travel has always had its exclusive corners, but a perfect storm of inflation, overtourism, and social media hype has pushed a growing number of once-accessible destinations firmly into the “one percent” category. These are the places where the cost of a simple hotel room, a meal, or a day’s activity has become so astronomical that they are now the exclusive playgrounds of the ultra-wealthy.
For the average middle-class traveler in 2025, these dream destinations are now financially out of reach.