It's that time of year to start looking at where travel can take wanderlusts in 2020. Audley Travel, a leader in providing completely tailor-made journeys to Asia, Africa, South America, and other worldly destinations around the globe since 1996, recently identified a list of the top destinations that are a must visit for the new year.
Audley Travel’s predictions are based on consumer demand, popularity, country growth developments and insight from the company’s Country Specialists; they have spent a lifetime gaining first-hand knowledge of the best routes, guides, food, lodging, and local secrets in one specific corner of the world.
Egypt — Audley Travel has seen a significant uptick in travel to Egypt since 2018 – but why is 2020 the year to go? A new Nile River cruise will soon be available from Mayfair Cruises starting in late 2019. Tripling their offering of boutique Nile cruise cabins, the Mayfair Cruise portfolio is a great addition for those traveling to Egypt and looking for service, quality and comfort as they travel the Nile between Luxor and Aswan. Additionally, after delaying the opening for the last couple of years, the long anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum is finally planned to open in Q4 of 2020.
Austria — April 1, 2020, marks the 55th Anniversary of The Sound of Music release, a perfect opportunity to travel to Salzburg, and through the Austrian lakes district, to visit where the hills came alive 55 years ago. Also, worth noting, is that Audley Travel will be expanding its portfolio into this region come 2020!
Ireland — Head to Ireland’s most northerly county, Donegal, for its long, sweeping beaches, heather-clad mountains, precipitous cliffs and network of ancient monuments. The destination received a €5 million investment this year in an effort to boost tourism at the Slieve League cliffs in Donegal (fun fact: the cliffs are three times the height of Cliffs of Moher!) and the Donegal Airport received a €1 million funding for expansions of the runway, allowing for more routes and tours to be added. 2020 is also the 1500th Anniversary of St. Colmcille, one of Ireland’s patron saints who shares distinction with St. Patrick and St. Bridget, so destination-wide celebrations are sure to drive visitation.
Cambodia — Cambodia has long been one of Indochina’s forgotten destinations, but new direct flights from Bangkok to Sihanoukville are launching this January, making it a must-see for 2020.
Antarctica — A visit to Antarctica is challenging and rewarding in equal measure, however, the dramatic landscapes and superb wildlife-viewing opportunities are simply like no other place on Earth. Expedition cruises to Antarctica are the simplest, most effective way to explore this beautiful, barren continent, which is why a new ship launch from Aurora Expedition in Q4 2019 will be a game changer for 2020.
Myanmar A new five-star experience arrived in the mysterious and remote region of Myanmar this summer 2019. The new Rosewood Yangon, which will debut later this year, offers travelers signature Rosewood service with unique colonial-styled accommodations.