- The Tiny Tourism philosophy originated from It’s Nice That creative platform in the
- Supermarket visits have become normalised among British travellers according to Opodo data
- Local recommendations in Dublin resulted in multiple closed venues during the visit
- Sea swimming at Sandycove’s Forty Foot provided meaningful community engagement
- The complete exclusion of major attractions left the travel experience feeling incomplete
As travel writers have been examining the concept of “Tiny Tourism” (avoiding the big ticket attractions in a city altogether) Copenhagen based travel writer Laura Hall brought the concept to her trip to Dublin for the travel section of England’s national broadcaster the BBC.
The philosophy, first developed by English-based creative platform It’s Nice That, has been gaining attention among travellers seeking alternatives to traditional tourist itineraries. The approach counsels visitors to avoid crowded attractions and bucket-list destinations in favour of hyper-local experiences including supermarket visits, public transport usage and residential area exploration. Opodo’s 2026 Traveller Hacks poll has found that supermarket visits have become as normal for British holidaymakers as dining at restaurants.
Laura’s trip to Dublin revealed mixed results, with supermarket exploration providing unexpected engagement through observation of local products including Taytos crisp flavours such as hot dog and curry. Second-hand shops on Capel Street offered unique souvenirs including surrendered travel mementos from other countries. However, pharmacy visits proved unremarkable as products matched those available in other European cities, and local recommendations for offbeat galleries and ceramic studios resulted in multiple closures during the visit.
The approach demonstrated value in encouraging activities beyond standard tourist circuits, with sea swimming at Sandycove’s Forty Foot providing meaningful community interaction and local engagement. The exclusion of major attractions including Trinity College and Temple Bar left the experience incomplete, leading to the proposition of a Medium Tourism alternative that combines selected major sights with observational exploration of local details. The experience confirmed that while avoiding overtourism has merit, complete exclusion of prepared visitor attractions with historical significance may diminish the travel experience.
Laura Hall shared: visiting Dublin without seeing its key attractions felt like eating only side dishes in a restaurant, with a lingering sense that something was missing.
See the story on BBC Travel here.
