The rating was prepared by the English travel publication timeout.com.
In addition to Moldova, the list includes (descending) Gambia, Jordan, Tajikistan and Paraguay.
It is noted that last year from January to September, 1.1 billion tourists traveled abroad – 5% more than in the same period in 2024. This year, a record number of international travel is expected.
At the same time, research shows that travelers are increasingly thinking about the impact of tourism. According to Booking.com’s Travel and Sustainability 2025 report, 84% of those surveyed consider sustainability an important factor when planning a vacation, and 73% want their spending to benefit local communities.
Choosing lesser-known regions helps relieve pressure on overburdened cities while giving countries that lack visitors a chance to develop their own tourism industry.
“When tourists come with interest, respect and in moderation, they can support local economies while discovering cultures and landscapes without crowds. These places offer a rare type of adventure – an authentic experience without tourist traps, where your presence really matters,” explains Sam Bruce, co-founder of Much Better Adventures, a company specializing in eco and socially responsible travel.
Therefore, researchers advise that when planning travel in 2026, focus on little-known but impressive countries that need tourism the most right now.
They advertise our country as follows.
“For many years, Moldova held the dubious title of “the least visited country in Europe”. However, the situation has begun to change: from January to September 2025, the country was visited by about 480 thousand tourists – by 6.5% more than in 2024.
The growth of tourism has not been easy. During the First and Second World Wars about 70% of the country was destroyed, so it took decades to rebuild. Only now Moldova has been able to gradually develop the infrastructure for receiving guests.
In Chisinau, it is worth visiting the National Museum of History to get a better understanding of life before the Soviet period, and the Stefan cel Mare Central Park for sculptures of prominent local writers. The traditional coffee kiosks located in this park are ideal for people-watching.
Outside the capital is the world’s largest wine cellar, the Mileštije Mić winery, founded in 1969.
Note: The UK Foreign Office does not recommend travel to independent Transnistria, the strip of land between Moldova and Ukraine.”
