It’s that time of year when all the major travel influencers put out their “Top Places to Travel” for the coming new year. This post highlights the 2019 recommendations that appeared multiple times in these articles signaling a level of agreement amongst the travel experts.
Some are extensive, like Travel + Leisure’s 50 entries, while others are more exclusive, like the 19 for 2019 from Condé Nast. Both of these publications focus on luxury travel. The more adventurous traveler will probably prefer the choices put together by someone like National Geographic or Indie Traveller, while Airbnb’s ability to mine its own booking data for travel intelligence provides unique insights.
Other sources include Lonely Planet, Fodor’s, Intrepid Travel, to name a few. Go ahead and follow the links for a deeper look.
The New York Times still hasn’t released its “2019 52 Places to Go” itinerary, but it’s another source of travel inspiration worth taking a look at. Plenty of other news publications have their travel writers compile a list. U.S.A. Today’s was my favorite because it cited more data sources than the others.
Egypt
Appearing on just about everyone’s list is Egypt. They cited reasons ranging from improved security to the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum as to why 2019 is the year to consider Egypt again.
Namibia & Mozambique
South Africa is so passé. The countries just to the north, on the other hand, are now the trendy choices. Namibia lies on the West Coast and Mozambique to the East. Namibia is becoming more and more hospitable for travelers. Even the extremely remote Skeleton Coast is more accessible than ever. Mozambique offers wildlife galore, from safari favorites to spectacular underwater marine parks for scuba divers.
Turkey
Whether it’s referred to as the Turquoise Coast or the Turkish Riviera, Turkey’s Mediterranean coastline was a common inclusion. The area is in focus in 2019 thanks to a favorable exchange rate and newer tourist development in seaside towns such as Datça and Bozburun, as well as the Bodrum Peninsula.
Singapore
Singapore’s population has doubled in just 20 years while city planners have developed one of the world’s most functional urban areas. There’s shopping, nightlife, and cultural landmarks.
Oman
Oman’s royal family has invested heavily in its tourism industry with a special emphasis on celebrating the country’s equine heritage. The result is a place offering some of the most epic horseback rides in the world.
Scotland
From the Outer Hebrides to the Scottish Highlands, Scotland is experiencing a tourist boom. The Outer Hebrides islands had a 170 percent increase in year-over-year searches on Airbnb.
Southern Italy
Matera, Calabria, Puglia and Malta to name a few. Matera, a city partly carved out of the hilly limestone terrain, is in the spotlight thanks to being a European Capital of Culture for 2019. It’s been a Unesco World Heritage site since 1993 but the Capital of Culture distinction gives relevance this year.
Mexico City
The Mexican capital earns its place here with its impressive collection of cultural riches. From ancient pyramids to vibrant cultural arts to mouth-watering cuisine, Mexico City is teeming with things to see and do.
Uzbekistan
Now that the country has began offering online visa applications, the process of traveling here has reportedly become much easier. The islamic architecture, historical sites, mountain landscapes, and lack of tourist crowds give reason to take advantage.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Colombia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Georgia, Morocco, Germany, Senegal, Sri Lanka
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Airbnb
Condé Nast
Fodor’s
Frommer’s
Hostelworld
Indie Traveller
Intrepid Travel
L.A. Times
Lonely Planet
National Geographic
Travel + Leisure
USA Today
