Kenya, Africa
For many people, Kenya IS Africa: its acacia-dotted savannahs, swarming game parks, Rift Valley lakes and isolated rustic camps are the definitive image of the continent or Afica.
Security worries following a spate of terrorist attacks in recent years have dissuaded some travellers. But while the Foreign & Commonwealth Office urges against particular areas of the country, many places are still on-limits, including the premier safari destinations: elephant-roamed Amboseli, mountainous Aberdare, uncrowded Laikipia, the matchless Masai mara - as well as dazzling Indian Ocean resorts such as Mombasa, Watamu and Diani.
Tourist numbers are starting to increase again and international arrivals in 2020 are predicted to be around 5% up on last year– but this still remains a great time to rediscover Kenya’s iconic wilderness without quite so many other people.
Namibia, Africa
Namibia is ageing tremendously well. As the country gears up to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its independence from South Africa in 2020 – a big-budget affair that will conclude in a grand event in Windhoek on 21 March – it continues to offer an ever-more sustainable and responsible travel experience.
Namibia has long been a pioneer of community-driven ecotourism; communal conservancies, where local people are empowered to manage and protect their environment, comprise 20% of the country.
Last summer saw the launch of a dedicated community conservation and tourism website (conservationtourism.com.na) to highlight the wealth of cultural, activity and wildlife-focused adventures available within these areas, from stunning mountain hikes to tracking trips with the San people.
These also include exceptional safaris – Namibia is the only country where elephant and lion numbers are increasing, and is home to Africa’s largest population of free- roaming black rhino. Many conservancies provide buffers to the national parks.
Nicaragua
Wracked by political unrest, Nicaragua had a torrid 2018. But earlier in 2019 the Foreign & Commonwealth Office lifted its no-go advice for the country and, slowly but surely, tour operators and travellers are returning to what many consider the unsung star of Central America.
Costa Rica may grab all the headlines, but neighbouring Nicaragua is also a paradise for nature lovers, with a varied mix of the same good stuff – stunning volcanoes, pristine beaches, lakes and lagoons, canopy zip lines and jungles exploding with wild creatures – just without the hordes of other people.
Nicaragua is also far less commercialised (though infrastructure is improving) and comes without Costa Rica’s high price tag – expect to pay around a third less for food, accommodation and activities here. Must-sees include the graceful colonial cities of Granada and León, peaceful Ometepe Island, the empty Caribbean-lapped Corn Islands and the historic fortress of El Castillo.
Hokkaido, Japan
With the Rugby World Cup over and the Olympics on the horizon, there’s a palpable buzz around Japan right now. Tokyo will be the focus in 2020, but to enjoy the energy without the crowds, look a little further afield to Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost isle.
Wild and remote, Hokkaido reveals a completely different side to the country – here, as well as Japanese classics such as volcanic onsen and excellent noodles, you’ll find a range of unspoilt national parks, fragrant lavender farms, brilliant birdwatching and world-class skiing – Finnair’s new direct flight from Helsinki to Sapporo (running 15 December 2019 to 27 March 2020) will provide easier access from Europe to the slopes.
Also, the new Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park is set to open in April 2020, highlighting the culture of Hokkaido’s Ainu, who Japan only officially recognised as an indigenous people in 2019. The museum, by Lake Poroto, will provide insight into the culture of this long-ignored group via exhibitions and more experiential displays, including carving workshops, dance performances and Ainu food tastings.
Albania
Although Albania has been welcoming tourists for ages now – finally opening its doors after the fall of communism in 1991 – it’s taken a while for the country to catch the popular imagination. Which bemuses anyone who’s been, because the destination is a revelation.
Not as polished as Croatia maybe, Albania sees a fraction of the tourists, and is dirt cheap compared to its Mediterranean neighbours – entrance fees to attractions, food, buses and beer are all a bargain.
It also has an appealingly gritty edge, an astonishingly undeveloped coast, wild national parks and mountains, an array of archaeological sites (including Apollonia and Butrint) and plenty of history- and culture-rich towns. The infrastructure is gradually improving too, with better roads, a trickle of more interesting hotels, and new airport developments that will likely see more low-costers flying in.
Canada
Mighty mountains, uncountable lakes, endless forests and prairies – the reputation of Canada’s physical beauty has long drawn travellers. But increasingly the country’s cultural side is bringing them in, too, as visitors seek deeper, more authentic experiences.
Indeed, indigenous tourism is growing fast in Canada, rising 23% between 2014 and 2017, compared with a 14.5% increase in overall tourism in the same period. A 2018 report from Indigenous Tourism BC estimated that 7.2 million visitors would engage in indigenous experiences over the following two years.
Alberta has recently launched Indigenous Tourism Alberta, an agency specifically focused on promoting First Nations tourism, while the province’s Writing-on-Stone/Áísínai’pi Provincial Park, home to the largest collection of First Nation rock art on the North American Great Plains, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in July 2019. In 2020 the new Inuit Art Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is also set to open, showcasing a huge collection of more than 13,000 Inuit works.
Galway, Ireland
A year of extraordinary creativity and disruption” – that’s how the west-coast Irish city bills its tenure as European Capital of Culture in 2020. Galway is pretty artsy any time, its (many) pubs overspilling with live music, its streets jolly with buskers, its hefty student population lending a lively vibe.
But come 2020, the ante will be upped, with a full programme – focused on the themes of language, landscape and migration – structured around the old Celtic calendar: Imbolc (budding season, February to April), Bealtaine (summer, May to July), Lughnasa (harvest, August to October) and Samhain (winter, November to January).
There will be 1,900 events in total, with highlights including giant light installations splashed across heaths and bogs; a version of Homer’s Odyssey touring the beaches; an International Women’s Day event attended by Margaret Atwood; the Cúirt International Festival and its celebration of Irish and European literature; country, blues, gospel, folk and bluegrass concerts; Project Baa Baa (a paean to sheep); and no fewer than 30 projects celebrating the Irish language.
Kyrgyzstan
Following her 2018 TV series, Joanna Lumley seemed to single-handedly spark a desire for Silk Road exploration, helping to place Uzbekistan in particular – arguably home of the route’s most alluring cities – on the must-visit list. But if 2019 was about Uzbekistan, 2020 is when intrepid travellers should switch their attention to next-door Kyrgyzstan.
This wild and largely undiscovered nation is around 95% mountains, and ripe for an array of hiking, biking, horse-riding and ski-touring adventures, as well as traditional yurt stays with steppe-roaming nomads.
It’s also great value – basic meals cost less than $2 (£1.60) and a bottle of vodka is nearly the same. No wonder the country features in the 2019 edition of budget-traveller bible The World’s Cheapest Destinations.
Rijeka, Croatia
Croatia’s third-largest city, Rijeka has long sat in the shadow of Zagreb and Split.
But that’s set to change in 2020 when the Adriatic-side port shares European Capital of Culture status with Galway. Untouristy Rijeka combines modern grittiness with an ancient centre, and an authentically Croatian atmosphere with a multicultural twist – indeed, its theme for the year is the ‘Port of Diversity’, apt for a city that, over the past century, has changed countries seven times.
A varied programme of events is planned, from art installations and gatherings around Kvarner Bay, to theatre, opera and dance performances and one of the continent’s most colourful carnivals. Also, don’t miss Rijeka’s perennial unsung attractions: the 14th-century Leaning Tower, the buzzy central market, nearby Trsat castle, the Croatian National Theatre and museums, art spaces, cool cafés and bars aplenty.
Belarus & Ukraine
Dark tourism – visiting places made infamous by death and disaster – is on the rise. And destinations don’t come much darker than Chernobyl.
Pop culture has only increased the fascination: the number of visitors to the site of the nuclear catastrophe has risen since the eponymous HBO series aired this year, and the trend looks to continue, with the Ukrainian president announcing the creation of new walking trails within the exclusion zone.
Such travel is not without controversy, but done responsibly, it can be enlightening and thought-provoking. There are opportunities to overnight in the area, visit the decaying school and fairground, and meet ‘self-settlers’ who’ve returned to live in the area.
You can also witness how nature has started to reclaim the abandoned landscape: with humans and domestic animals out of the way, many rare wild species have moved back in. The Palieski State Radioecological Reserve – the Belarusian section of the Chernobyl exclusion zone – is open for eco-tours, on which you can spot species such as lynx, wolves, bison, bear and Przewalski’s horses (released after the accident).