(Big Ben; London, England)
Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to do more travel this year?
But where to go and what to do…
Here is a list of places that are expected to be among the most popular travel destinations this year.
1. The Mayan Ruins will be big due to the Mayan calendar coming to an end at midnight on December 12, 2012. Temples, pyramids, and other historic sites will be visited in record numbers throughout Mexico, Guatamala, and Belize. Most folks don’t realize how sophisticated and intelligent the Mayan people were. They were skilled astronomers and astrologers as shown by their Mayan calenders and other inventions. www.mayanruins.info
2. London, England is expecting millions of visitors for several reasons. First, the royal wedding in 2011 renewed interested in London and the UK. Secondly, the Olympics will be held in London in Summer 2012. I witnessed alot of significant renovations during my visits this year in preparation for the big event. Lastly, London is just one of those places that folks want to visit. It has so much to offer in regards to shows, shopping, attractions, and dining. Also, it is rather safe for tourists and easy to get around and English is spoken–not to mention that it is a gateway city for much of Europe. And, for the first time in a long time, the dollar is beating up the pound. One dollar is equal to 1.54 pounds (1/8/12). For more on tickets to the Olympics and visiting London, visit www.london2012.com and www.visitlondon.com. I highly recommend spending a couple of days in Scotland while you’re there. We loved Scotland and the 4.5-hour scenic train ride from London to Edinburgh was throughly enjoyable. If you book online in advance, you can find some cheap fares, even on first class! www.visitscotland.com
3. The most popular place in Europe is likely to be Iceland. This is funny given that several years ago when I first visited, everyone asked me if I was crazy when I told them I was headed there. Now it is one of the hippest places in Europe and Reykjavik is a gateway city for many European destinations. I always depart from Baltimore, which is less than a five-hour flight. It is a great long weekend getaway destination. Visitors will enjoy great nightlife, hiking, exploring active volcanoes and glaciers, fishing, horsebacking riding, Blue Lagoon outing, thermal pools, spas, and more. There are some great places to eat and shop too. Note: A half-day at the Blue Lagoon is sufficent. There are spas and thermal pools all over the city and day passes can easily be purchased for just a few dollars. www.visiticeland.com
4. Disney theme parks and Disney Resorts will have a record number of visitors due to Disney’s increasing popularity and some new resorts. I was at Wyndham’s new Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando last year and was very impressed with it. We had a luxurious suite and the resort lacked for nothing. Disney has made lots of improvements to its signature theme park, DisneyWorld in Florida, as well as some changes to DisneyLand in California. They built their first resort this year that is not affiliated with any of its theme parks, the Aulani Resort in Hawaii. For more information on this unique resort, go to FREE TRAVEL REPORTS on my site. You may also visit www.resorts.disney.go.com/aulani. For help planning a Disney vacation, check out www.disneyvacations.com or see my FREE TRAVEL REPORTS titled PLANNING A DISNEY VACATION and HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON A DISNEY VACATION.
5. Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Ireland should be hot spots due to their ailing economies. Big bargains can be found on resorts, airfares, hotels, and tour packages to these places. Deep discounts are being offered in the hopes that tourism will help turn these troubled economies around. Plus, the dollar is strong compared to the Euro, so that’s great news for Americans looking for travel bargains. And we are talking about the magnificent Greek Isles, the lovely Irish countryside, sunny Spain…
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