The top destinations to book in 2024, according to tour operators

The top destinations to book in 2024, according to tour operators

We’re just days away from a brand new year, which means plenty new opportunities to see the world and experience destinations for the first time. But which destinations should be at the top of the list? The options are endless for the 4.7 billion people who are expected to travel in 2024, reports IATA, an historic high that exceeds the 4.5 billion recorded pre-pandemic, in 2019. But according to tour operators, there are certain standout destinations that are expected to be hot-ticket items next year. Here’s what they recommend for a sun-soaked and adventure-filled year: JAPAN It’s been a little more than a year since Japan reopened its borders to international travellers, and since then the country has rebounded in a big way. It welcomed more than two million international visitors for a fourth consecutive month in September 2023, with visitor numbers improving to 96.1% of levels seen in 2019, before the outbreak of COVID-19. “Visitors rushed back to Japan in droves in 2023, with a particularly rapid surge in travel from North America – and that momentum continues,” says Hiroshi Kawaguchi, General Manager at Oku Japan, a Kyoto-based adventure travel operator that runs self-guided and small-group guided walking tours in Japan. “There is high demand for accommodations, including along the Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo Trail. With visitor numbers being capped on accommodations in these regions as a way to preserve the natural environment and local culture, we are encouraging people to book as early as possible.” Oku Japan has the 11-day Japan Hiking Highlights: The Kumano Kodo and the Nakasendo Trail, priced at $8,515 per person, based on two travellers sharing a room. Departing from March to November, it includes visits to Zen temples and bamboo groves in Kyoto, a special lunch with a geisha or maiko (apprentice geisha), lunch with an artisanal miso producer, a flat-bottomed boat ride along the Kumano River to Hayatama Taisha, and visits to all three Grand Shrines of pilgrimage on the Kumano Kodo, plus three days of hiking on this UNESCO World Heritage route. Also seeing increased interest in Japan is Okushu Tours, which Managing Director Lisa Lau says is largely due to direct and indirect flights from Canada. “It’s becoming more and more easy to book, and many international cruise companies are also now offering round-the-island cruise journeys or journeys that start and/or finish in Japan,” says Lau. “Travel agents should seize this as an opportunity to sell a high-value tour package by offering them pre- and post-cruise extensions, shore excursions as well as some unique experiences.” To avoid the crowds, Lau recommends visiting lesser-known cities in Japan, like Shikoku, Chubu, Chugoku and Hokkaido, which offer many of the same experiences and culture as major hotspots. Okushu offers a variety of shorter trips such as a three-day pilgrimage wellness tour in Shikoku, and a three-day Ninja training tour with an overnight at a beer onsen resort in Mie. Finally, Japan is Goway’s top destination of choice for 2024 due to the country’s “timeless tradition, cutting-edge innovation and mluti-gen appeal,” says Renee Stanton, Director of Sales. Stanton recommends Goway’s eight-day Classic Japan guided vacation, which is priced from $3,649 and begins in Kyoto before continuing on to Hiroshima, Tokyo and Mt. Fuji. PERU Following political unrest in early 2023, which led to the temporary closure of Machu Picchu, Peru is now poised for a breakout year in tourism, says Tom Smith, VP of Sales and Marketing for North America at Intrepid Travel. “Peru is finally seeing a strong comeback and is set to be a popular pick in 2024, with huge interest from Canadians looking to experience Machu Picchu for themselves,” says Smith. “While travel reopened to most in 2023, Peru’s unfortunate shutdown in January caused year-long cancellations. Now, Peru is finally having its moment.” This year, Intrepid worked with local communities in the Sacred Valley to open a new section of the Quarry Trail, giving travellers a previously unseen experience as they journey to Machu Picchu. The company’s 12-day ‘Peru Expedition: Trek the Great Inca Road,’ priced from $4,445, journeys along little-visited trade routes connected to the Inca empire in the Andes. Beginning and ending in Lima, guests will join a local leader and traditional llama caravan to hike storied paths that few travellers have ever seen, visiting archaeological sites along the way. Transat is also anticipating a big year for Peru, based on the trajectory of demand since it announced its program expansion earlier this year. Air Transat will start operating year-round, nonstop flights to Lima from both Toronto and Montreal in late December 2023, becoming the only carrier to operate nonstop service between Peru and Canada. This, coupled with an attractive selection of products in destination, gives Canadians even more reason to visit Peru in 2024. “We have painstakingly crafted an array of meticulously curated packages and à la carte hotels in Lima, of course, but also Aguas Calientes, Cusco, Urubamba and Puno. In addition, we will soon offer a variety of excursions throughout different regions of Peru to cater to a variety of interests, from hiking in the Andes to delving into the country’s rich history and culture,” says Marie-Eve Vallières, Advisor, Public Relations and Content Marketing Strategy at Transat. PORTUGAL “The numbers don’t lie,” says David Green, managing director at G Adventures. “Portugal has seen standout growth, with traveller numbers tripling since 2019 and up 33% compared to 2022.” Green notes that new direct flights to Porto from New York, Boston and Toronto with Azores Airlines will give the destination a bigger bump in visitation next summer, which is why he suggests going before it gets even more popular. G Adventures’ seven-day Highlights of Portugal itinerary, priced from $1,749 per person, journeys from Lisbon to Porto and includes an array of authentic local experiences, including a traditional meal with a Fado performance in one of Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhoods, and visits to UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Monastery of Batalha, Coimbra University and the beautiful town of Sintra. UZBEKISTAN Green is also expecting big numbers for Uzbekistan in 2024, and the ‘Stans’ in general, which he says have been hugely popular among travellers looking to check off big bucket-list destinations. Uzbekistan in particular has seen a 53% increase in bookings year over year, surpassing 2019 numbers by 16%. Among the many reasons to book the destination are the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent, opening in April 2024, and the Center for Contemporary Arts, which opened in 2019, both of which are “two new cultural hubs set to attract the attention of travellers,” says Green. G Adventures’ 10-day Highlights of Uzbekistan, priced from $2,179 per person, begins and ends in Tashkent and includes a visit to the Chashma Complex, a pilgrimage site in the territory of Nurata featuring ruins of Alexander the Great’s fortress, swimming in the remote Aydarkul Lake, and an overnight stay in a local yurt camp complete with an authentic Uzbekistan dinner and Kasakh singing show.