The world’s greatest places of 2024, according to TIME
From Costa Rica to Koh Samui to the Republic of the Congo, the team of editors at the New York-based news magazine has selected extraordinary destinations and exciting new experiences travelers need to know about.
CNN Travel spoke to TIME senior editor Emma Barker about some of the trends they’ve seen emerging this year.
The social media effect
This trend isn’t new but it’s certainly huge. Millions of us are choosing our vacation destinations because of how stunning they looked on other people’s TikTok videos or Instagram stories, and we want to go there and get some of that sweet shareable content, too.
Barker points to “these sort of otherworldly art and design places” like Aranya, China. It’s “this amazing, minimalist-design seaside town that a lot of young people in China are going to for its slow pace of life and relaxing ethos” — and because it looks incredible on camera.
“Those kinds of places that result in stunning photography are really popular,” she says.
Active travel
Gen Z has been sharing its love for wholesome outdoor adventures on social media, and it’s a big trend for travelers at large as well.
Barkers says that when pulling together their list, TIME noticed lots of travel operators offering “a twist on a traditional experience,” such as Natural Selection’s guided cycling safari in Botswana.
Instead of “going on a safari where you’re in a truck and you’re driving through nature, it’s a cycling safari where you’re biking, you’re doing something active, it’s more of a tour.”
Science tourism
Space-related tourism is booming in China and elsewhere and travelers around the world are using their vacations to learn more about our world and our universe.
Barker notes that the recent increase in Antarctic travel has been challenging because “it increases the footprint on a very delicate landscape.”
So for their list they’ve highlighted tour operator White Desert, which has “really set a model for how that tourism can be more sustainable, by partnering with the scientists that are going to Antarctica.”
Tourists share flights with scientists going out to the region and then get the chance to assist the researchers in their work.
“They’re not increasing the number of flights coming in, they’re just kind of piggybacking on what’s already happening with the scientists,” says Barker. “And then the tourists also get to help with that science and learn about the landscape, and how they can protect it.”
Self-discovery
The Modern Elder Academy in Santa Fe, New Mexico, focuses on midlife self care.
It’s “kind of like a middle-aged retreat,” says Barker, “which I think is really interesting and fun. It’s kind of like a twist on the wellness retreat.”
The center offers people resources on working through this challenging life period, as well as offering a community where visitors can connect with people going through the same experiences.
CNN Travel recently covered the rise in menopause retreats, while sexual wellness is also a hot trend.
Regenerative tourism
Voluntourism — where travelers work as volunteers in the regions they visit — “has become a little bit cliched, perhaps, in that it makes you feel good about what you’re doing, but maybe isn’t actually that helpful,” says Barker.
The fresh new take on this theme is regenerative tourism, which is “more about really leaving the landscape and the place better than it was.”
TIME wanted to bring attention to Maui, where West Maui reopened to tourism in November after being devastated by wildfires last summer.
The indigenously-owned non-profit Maui Cultural Lands offer volunteer opportunities that are “legitimately fun,”says Barker. “You’re not wasting your vacation by doing hard labor, although it is work. You’re out in this stunning landscape, planting trees. You have a great time and then go support the local businesses.”
For more highlights from this year’s selection, check out the gallery above. And for the full list, take a look at TIME’s website.
Travelers are increasingly choosing vacation destinations based on how appealing they look on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. This trend has led to the popularity of places like Aranya, China, which is known for its minimalist design and relaxing ethos.
Another trend is active travel, with Gen Z and other travelers showing interest in outdoor adventures and experiences like Natural Selection's guided cycling safari in Botswana.
[Note: The text also mentions 'self-discovery' and 'regenerative tourism', but these words are not part of the given words 'travel']
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