Jan 12 2009
Top 10 Travel Destinations for 2009 - According to Frommers
On a trawl around the internet I went looking to see what others were saying are the hot destinations for travel in 2009. Where are the Americans vacationing this year? What about the Brits?
I found some interesting contrasting approaches to this prenennial question to fill the electrons at this time of the year. So I am going to look at a series of differnet approaches, and let you know, as the consumer, what drives them.
First off lets look at Frommers list . Frommers, as most people probably know, is the guide book of choice for most American travelers - a brand built on the original Europe on $5/day - now regretably out of print! So Frommers are interested in their core market, Americans, but people who are not booking an inclusive vacation.
Its not surprising then that Fromers list concentrates on US destinations with 4 of the top 11 destinations being in North America (Washington DC, Lassen Volcanic NP, Civil Rights Trail, and Waterton NP) -lots of free museums and cheap camping experiences there. To give them their due they do throw in the unusual, even I hadn’t realised that Cartagena, Columbia is now a safe destination! Dublin, Ireland is a logical pick with the weakness of the US$ Ireland is now marginally more affordable than the UK, and Berlin is also in the Euro Zone.
Istanbul, Turkey is having a year of culture in 2010 so that will guarantee some guide book picks over the next year or so, but I was impressed that reader’s are encouraged to explore Cambodia outside photogenic Angkor Wat
Cape Town will get a big publicity boast with 2010 World Cup (Soccer that is people!) but I am left with 2 destinations I really can’t explain away: Saggara, Egypt and Waiheke Island, New Zealand - neither of which I have actually been to - though I am a NZer and I have visited Egypt! Might have to put those 2 on the to do list!
I’ve always wanted to see Egypt for the pyramids. I think it would be a very interesting journey.
Egypt is a fascinating country - its had a bad wrap in recent years with the fundamentalistis attacking tourists but I think things must have improved for it to me in Frommers! Don’t go in summer - it gets to 50C in the south!