Most popular travel destinations... hot spots...

Most popular spots, hot trends in travel

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/travel/thisweek/stories/DN-trends08side_0120tra.ART.State.Edition1.3824e31.html

12:00 AM CST on Sunday, January 20, 2008

From Wire Reports Beth J. Harpaz, The Associated Press

Here are some of the hot spots, trends and statistics for travel in the new year.

U.S. Tour Operators Association: For the fifth straight year, Italy placed first as the most popular international destination for vacation packages and tours, according to an annual informal poll of tour-operators association member companies.
Croatia, followed by China, were the hottest up-and-coming countries for tours and packages.

Yahoo Travel: Yahoo Travel's destinations that got the biggest increase in page views in Yahoo Travel Guides were Lancaster, Pa.; Ocean City, N.J.; South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Wildwood, N.J.; Helen, Ga.; and Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Lonely Planet: Top 10 destinations for 2008, according to a survey of the guidebook publisher's U.S. staffers, are the U.S., with an emphasis on national parks and Hawaii; Mexico, with an emphasis on Mexico City and the Pacific Coast; Argentina; Japan; India and Canada (tied); Australia and China (tied); Spain and France.

JWT top travel trends: Top trends identified by JWT, the largest ad agency in the U.S.: "Staycations," where travelers stay close to home and take long weekends instead of weeks away; cruising; volunteer vacations; climate sightseeing; and couch-surfing (using the Internet to find strangers who will put you up in their home when you travel).

Also: medical tourism; babymoons (couples take a vacation before their first baby arrives); and "trans-entertainment" (Wi-Fi transportation making it easier to watch videos or surf the Web while traveling).

Outbound travel statistics: According to the U.S. Commerce Department's Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, air travel by U.S. citizens January to September 2007 was up 2 percent to Europe, down 3.1 percent to the Caribbean, up 8.6 percent to Asia, up 7.6 percent to South America, up 8 percent to Central America, and down 3.4 percent to Canada. (Source: http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/m-2007-O-001/index .html.)

Some Places to See Before You Die

Everyone will have a different opinion of things that you must see or do before you die. What you love most in the world and the sights that most impress can vary widely depending on your different tastes and preferences.

For some people, the most incredible sight in the world might be the city of Petra, Jordan, which is an ancient city carved out of rock swirled red and blue. For others, this man-made legend pales beside the fierce power of the Niagara Falls, and there is nothing, really, to compare with the breathtaking view from the top of Mount Everest. Nonetheless, here are some of our favorites.

The Great Pyramids of Egyptt

One of the eight wonders of the world, and an incredible sight to behold, the pyramids certainly make our top 10 list.

The Coliseum in Rome

Another incredible sight from the ancient world, bringing home the power and might of ancient Rome.

London, England

An incredible city with immense amounts of history attached to it. Yes, we know that there are plenty of other cities in the world with a lot of history, but this is one of our favorites. There is a lot of incredible history, beautiful art, easy transportation, good food, theater, and so much more to do that you will never, never get bored.

For many of the same reasons and more reasons unique to each of them, you might also wish to visit New York City, which was the point at which most immigrants to the United States arrived. Specifically, check out Ellis Island if you have family in the U.S.

Paris, France is another city worth seeing if you love exploring incredible cities, with strolls along the Seine, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower, of course.

Fiji

A popular location for honeymoons & holidays, an incredible place to visit, but don't wait for your honeymoon to check it out. With beaches, coral reefs, rain forests and more, there is a lot to see and a lot to enjoy. Many travel agents now offer packages to Fiji , so getting there s becoming increasingly easier.

Taj Mahal, India

An incredible architectural wonder of our more modern world, and one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. A building of full of love and romanticism.

Your tastes might vary, and heaven knows that each list of "10 places" is different; however we hope that this list is helpful in planning your future adventures.



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