Travels with Bob

Once a penal colony, Tasmania made the 2019 ‘Hot’ Travel Destination List, in part, for its natural beauty.

Looking for a “hot” travel destination for your next journey? You have diverse choices, including several destinations you might not expect to find on this list.

As member of Cruise & Travel Experts, I am associated with the Signature Travel Network, which annually polls it’s 300+ agencies and more than 6,000 agents where their clients plan to visit in the year ahead.

Following a decade-long decline in tourism, Egypt leads the list of hot destinations for 2019. Favorite destinations in the year ahead range from Africa to Europe, and from South America to the Caribbean and South Pacific. Here’s the list:

• Egypt: Visit the New Grand Egyptian Museum and Nefertiti’s tomb; cruising the Nile; sightseeing at Aswan
• Bolivia: South America’s most innovative cuisine can be found in La Paz; stunning landscapes; endless biodiversity
• Fiji: The world’s fourth-largest barrier reef; exceptional beaches; a unique culture; new world-class resorts
• Abu Dhabi: Cultural capital of the Gulf; new Louvre Museum; desert adventures; over-the-top hotels
• Sri Lanka: The best Asian safaris; archaeological sites; unique places to stay; great shopping and dining
• Tasmania: Australia’s most vibrant dining scene; a hub of modern art; breathtaking natural beauty
• Ottawa: Canada’s green, friendly capital offers outstanding museums and the best winter festival
• Ethiopia: Rock-hewn churches; rugged landscapes; ancient cultures and the original source of coffee
• Puebla: Mexico’s finest colonial architecture; new Baroque Museum; pottery; fantastic new hotels
• The Azores: Portugal’s best kept secret are these nine unspoiled islands; heaven for outdoor adventures
• Flanders: Mecca for lovers of history; art, design, fine dining and Instagram-worthy architecture
• Anguilla: Renovated and enhanced resorts; 33 white sand beaches; some of the best Caribbean dining

Obviously, there are many exciting and rewarding travel experiences in other countries and locations around the globe, which you may wish to consider because they didn’t make the list. Yet, the destinations described above are next year’s hands-down favorites.