While Paris and Disneyland will remain perennial tourist hotspots, different years bring with them different travel trends and popular destinations. While many flocked to smaller cities and nearby destinations during the height of the covid-19 pandemic, airlines are still struggling to meet the post-pandemic rush of those looking to take long put-off trips during 2022 and 2023.
International Trade Association (IATA) numbers show that the number of Americans going on international trips is up 24% since 2022 and 99% since 2019.
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Among the most popular destinations chosen by American travelers, travel guide publisher Lonely Planet identified Montreal and Philadelphia as the top North American cities to visit in 2024.
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Also looking at categories such as sustainability and value, Lonely Planet's annual "Best In Travel" list identified Spain and South America's Patagonia region for their efforts in reversing environmental degradation and the Midwest of the U.S. as the most economical travel destination.
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The global capital to top Lonely Planet's "City" category is Nairobi — the capital of Kenya won out for its "dynamic array of restaurants, food carts and cafes, along with a steady rotation of arts and cultural venues that all fuel a distinct Nairobi cool."
"Our picks for this year seek to both inspire and follow the instincts of 2024's traveler,” Lonely Planet Executive Editor Nitya Chambers said in a statement. "[...] With new takes on iconic destinations and 50 fresh ideas across five categories, we’re confident Best in Travel opens up a year of incredible adventures."
Specific regions to get singled out by the travel guide company include the Trans Dinarica cycling route that crosses eight countries including Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania across the West Balkans, Kangaroo Island in South Australia, Italy's Tuscany and Donegal in Northwestern Ireland.
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Specific countries identified as top travel destinations in 2023 include Mongolia, India, Morocco, Chile and Benin — the latter West African country was chosen for the way it is often "dwarfed by its neighbor to the east Nigeria' but is well worth a visit its own trip as both "the spiritual home of voodoo" and the home of "palm-fringed beaches and some of the best national parks this side of the continent."
Locations to make the top five when it comes to value include Nicaragua, France's Normandy region, Bulgaria and Poland — the latter country was also recently singled out in an environmental report as one where we can expect to see increased tourism during the summer months in the coming years as traditional summer destinations such as Greece and Malta get too hot to visit due to global warming. While steadily getting more expensive, Poland is also seen as a budget-friendly location.
"Slow Travel, a favorite topic with Lonely Planet readers, is celebrated by highlighting the Camino Portuguese hiking trail and the continued rise of night trains in Europe," Lonely Planet writes further of the results. "[...] Patagonia, Ecuador and the Western Balkans' Trans Dinarica Cycle Route, an eight-country route, including Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, are amongst those which provide more responsible ways to connect with nature."
