#1

Lebanon used to be extremely popular. It was considered the Switzerland of the East. The cafe culture in places like Beruit and Byblos along the Mediterranean was extremely popular in the 60's and 70's.

It hasn't had a working government in several years. It's currency is devalued by 95% since 2019 (one dollar is 89,000 LBP). It's support and sending it's militias in to close by conflicts isn't helping.

#3

Syria! Unfortunately not forgotten about or abandoned, but attacked. If you find old tourist books, they will often recommend Syria over Jordan as a tourist destination. Six world heritage sites, many of them now damaged or destroyed.

It is desperately sad, the industry is picking up somewhat in recent times, but the tourists may never fully return.

#5

Anything related to route 66. I've never experienced it myself but from the movies and general media back in the day "going down route 66" used to be a thing.

#7

Beirut until the civil war wrecked it. I knew someone who grew up there, it was the happening glamorous beach resort of the Middle East in the early 70s.

#9

Varosha, Cyprus: Former Mediterranean resort that attracted celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor in the 1960s before becoming a ghost town after the 1974 Turkish invasion

#11

Isla Margarita , Venezuela . .

#13

It might not work for this because it’s still a major city, but I always think about Mogadishu, Somalia - Pearl of the Indian Ocean and fascinating history as a trading city.

#15

Myanmar, for obvious reasons .

#17

Atlantic City. Shell of its former self.

#19

There’s an abandoned resort with multiple hotels in Kupari, Croatia (close to Dubrovnik). It’s a pretty neat place! It was abandoned after Croatia’s war of independence in the 90s.