2020 is a big year for travelling with many events kicking off all across the world which is set to be the prime objective for many to travel. Looking through several notable travel sites, we have curated our top 10 Travel Destinations for 2020 to help you plan your travel resolution and bucket list better.
1. Doha, Qatar
With Doha on the way to setting the scene for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, there is no time better than the present to visit the vibrant city for its arts and culture scene. Drop in before the crowd flocks to this unassuming city to visit the National Museum of Qatar, designed by architect Jean Nouvel that opened up last year. The city itself is a cultural art exhibition on its own with several art installations laid out throughout the city. Furthermore, the brand-new underground railway line makes it easier to connect from Hamad International Airport to as far as the palm-edged Corniche of Doha's Waterfront.
2. Istanbul, Turkey
The opening of the world's biggest airport, Istanbul New Airport this year is a sign of things to come for Turkey in 2020. Painstaking slow renovations of many hotels, old Ottoman-era mansions and infrastructures such as its Galataport cruise terminal are finally paying off as the revamp is geared to propel the country into the eyes of travellers everywhere. Arter, an angular mosaic-wrapped building is home to the city's and the country's first permanent collection of contemporary art. It showcases more than a thousand works of Turkish and global artists throughout the six floors and terraces. Of course, the ever beautiful Hagia Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace will continues to inspire as Istanbul remains a city that has mastered the precarious art of commingling transitional with contemporary.
3. Cambodia
Adventure. Nature. Culture. Cambodia continues to offer everything that draws throngs of travelers to Southern Thailand - minus the crowds. Outdoors types will love hiking the region's lush jungles, encountering towering waterfalls and gorgeous coffee plantations along the way. History buffs will adore exploring UNESCO World Heritage site, Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm temple. The Mekong river is a beauty to witness for its natural attractions and the roles it plays in the lives of its riverbanks. Better yet, spend several days onboard an Avalon river cruise to see where the river takes you and witness for yourself the relationship between nature and humans in Cambodia.
4. eSwatini (formerly Swaziland)
Rewarding wildlife watching? Tick. Adrenaline-boosting activities such as rafting and mountain biking? Tick. Lively and colourful local culture, with celebrations and ceremonies still common practice? Tick. The intriguing Kingdom of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) is diminutive but that alone is a draw factor for visitor. Afterall, big things come in small packages. Plus there are refreshing walking trails, stunning mountain and flatland scenery, varied accommodation options and excellent, high-quality handicrafts.
5. Maldives
With ecotourism trending amongst travellers of late, it's no surprise to see Maldives as one of the countries spearheading the charge for better travel practices that are kinder on the environment - from reef planting to eco-friendly activities. Best of all, Maldives is longer just a holiday destination for honeymooners and instead have become an ideal vacay place for Muslim families and couples alike. With Islam already its main religion, Maldives has been actively promoting its Muslim friendly food, environment and beautiful waters.
6. Salzburg, Austria
The Salzburg Festival is turning 100, and this heart-stealer of an Alpine city is singing about it at the top of its voice. One of the world’s greatest classical music shindigs, the festival is always a riotous feast of opera, classical music and drama – and never more so than in 2020. Salzburg will be pulling out all the stops for the centenary, with special exhibitions and events taking place all over the historic centre – concerts, plays, readings, Mozart matinees, you name it. Top billing, as always, will go to Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s Jedermann, based on a medieval morality play and performed in all its glory in Domplatz. So dust off your dirndl or lederhosen, book your tickets months ahead, and get ready to rock into the summer like Amadeus (perhaps minus the wig).
7. Cairo, Egypt
2020 is a big year for Cairo with the opening of its Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest archeological museum in the world. Head here to marvel at a mind-boggling collection in what will be the world’s largest museum entirely committed to one civilisation. For Red Sea and Luxor holidaymakers, a Pyramids and GEM add-on will also become a doddle with Giza’s newly inaugurated Sphinx Airport set to operate domestic flights.
Looking for a way to experience the River Nile? Good news, Avalon luxury river cruise company recently announced that it will be resuming its river cruise with a 10-day “Taste of Egypt” itinerary starting September 2020.
This natural playground – squeezed majestically between the blue waters of the Pacific and the forest-clad mountaintops of the North Shore – was the birthplace of Greenpeace, so it seems fitting that Vancouver has been trying to lead the world in urban sustainability. And for you, the environmental benefits of its longstanding Greenest City 2020 Action Plan will only enrich your stay. Take to its vastly expanded cycling and walking network, including an unforgettable 28km section along beaches and shorefront, and comfortably hop between the city’s many sights on an upgraded public transport system.
Or embark on a train journey with Rocky Mountaineer starting from Vancouver through the legendary Spiral Tunnels onto the Canadian Rockies.
9. Antarctica
No place on Earth compares to this vast white wilderness of elemental forces: snow, ice, water, rock. Antarctica is simply stunning. Its surreal remoteness, extreme cold, enormous ice shelves and mountain ranges, and myriad exotic life forms invariably challenge you to embrace life fully. Everyone – scientist, support worker, government official and tourist – who comes to this isolated continent, must ‘earn’ it either by sea voyage and flight. Part of the appeal of the coldest continent on the planet was that it was viewed as last-chance tourism. Thanks to global warming, there is the possibility that one day, the Antarctica will longer be accessible.
Due to the fragile eco-system of the area, only cruise ships of less than 200 people like Ponant are allowed to make landings with flat-bottom Zodiac boats. Ponant in particular offer expedition cruises in partnership with National Geographic, allowing for a more enriching and educational experience.
10. Tōhoku, Japan
Of course with the Summer Olympics descending on Tokyo in 2020, how could we leave out Japan. However, avoid the overcrowded Tokyo and headed to Tohoku. In recovery mode since the devastation of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, this under-touristed swathe of the country has also been hard at work reopening transport links, developing new long-distance hiking trails, and rebuilding and improving tourist facilities.
Already known within Japan for its dramatic natural landscapes, cultural heritage, historic festivals, good food and warm welcome, Tōhoku is emerging as a breath of fresh air for the crowd-weary adventurous visitor, and is just a few bullet-train hours northeast of the capital.
We hope this list will give you a head-start on where you should explore in 2020. For more information or to help you book your next holiday, check out https://www.seduniatravel.com/