Nov 19, 2024 鈥 8 min read
View to the sea and volcano from Fira, the capital of Santorini island in Greece
As the end of the year approaches and a fresh allotment of vacation time beckons, travel companies are looking ahead with predictions for 2020.
To determine where its audience of millennials and Gen Z travellers will be heading in the coming months, social travel company has polled its 320,000-plus followers for their bucket-list destinations 鈥 and while classic European stops like Greece, Italy, Spain, and England are still ranking highly, lesser-expected points like Namibia, New Zealand, and America鈥檚 Pacific northwest are also proving to be attractive propositions.
One of 香港六合彩即时开奖鈥檚 10 best value destinations for 2020, Greece tops Contiki鈥檚 list, from the white-sand beaches of Mykonos, Ios, and smaller islands like Paros to the historic roots of Athens, Olympia, and Delphi, the latter two growing increasingly more popular with the company鈥檚 demographic. And even as new rules and fees surround Venice tourism, the canal-bedecked city is still an epic draw, as are Italian stalwarts like Rome and Florence 鈥 but wine-oriented explorations in Tuscany, Chianti, and Sorrento are beginning to pull focus.
It鈥檚 not all old-world glamour, though. From the elite wildlife-watching at Etosha National Park (think: big cats, elephants, plains game, and more) to Damaraland鈥檚 desert-adapted elephants and lions, plus Africa's largest population of free-ranging rhinos, to the parks of the Caprivi Strip, not to mention the natural beauty of its varied landscapes and the memorable human story of its traditional people, Namibia is the only African destination to make this year鈥檚 hit list.
Questions of timeliness and cost also factor into the Contiki audience鈥檚 determinations. Thanks to this year鈥檚 Rugby World Cup and next year鈥檚 summer Olympic games, Japan has become even more enticing to international travelers. And with Icelandair鈥檚 free stopover for transatlantic journeys, as well as budget airlines鈥 new routes to Iceland, the land of fire and ice is drawing more interest than ever.
Whether it鈥檚 the fascination with all things Meghan Markle or the buzz surrounding the new season of The Crown, the UK is seeing plenty of bookings 鈥 Contiki鈥檚 England & Scotland trip is up 10% since last year, a significant increase. Elsewhere in Europe, lesser-travelled Spanish cities like Granada, Seville, Toledo, and Segovia are piquing travellers鈥 interest, while Croatia鈥檚 inland and islands alike are proving to be a draw. With cinematic landscapes and adventurous experiences, New Zealand sees loads of repeat visitors, and the cool-kid cred of Portland and Seattle 鈥 stellar music, food, and art scenes, set against a pristine natural backdrop 鈥 put America鈥檚 Pacific Northwest region on the radar.
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