What are the world’s best cities and best destinations? What are the top places to see in the United States and Canada? A company called Neomam and another called SavingSpot analyzed Instagram accounts worldwide that used the phrase and hashtag #TakeMeBack. They then tallied up the number of posts for each of those places and came up with a list of the places people would love to go back to the most. Below I have lists of top world destinations, top Canadian places, top spots in the U.S. and top countries. There are a few surprises in here, so have a look at today’s Future of Travel report. I’ve also got an item on a new airline partner for Aeroplan, a report on Germany’s re-opening for tourism and a look at hotels of the future.
GERMANY PARTIAL RE-OPENING SET FOR JUNE 15
Frankfurt, Germany. Noah Boyer Photo/Unsplash
The German Government is lifting the worldwide travel warning for tourists for around 30 European countries on June 15, 2020. The global travel warning will be replaced by individual travel advice for each country, an official with the nation’s tourism board said today.
I haven’t spent much time in Germany but I had a nice visit to Frankfurt some time ago (great sausages and some lovely, old-time architecture) and to Munich maybe three years back, for more great food and a fabulous castle/estate called Schloss Nymphenburg. Here’s my blog report from that trip.
DOLLYWOOD RE-OPENING IS JUNE 15
After much careful preparation, Dollywood Parks and Resorts start reopening beginning with Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa on June 10. Dollywood Theme Park and Dollywood’s Splash Country Water Park open June 15 and 16 for season pass guests only. Both parks open to the general public on June 17.
“We are excited to get open and to welcome families back to the Great Smoky Mountains. Brighter Days are here!” Dolly Parton said. “We have been blessed to work with some incredible experts at Covenant Health and with the State of Tennessee as we have navigated this extraordinary situation. Their advice and teamwork has provided untold help to make sure we are doing the right thing.”
TAKE ME BACK: OUR FAVE CITIES AND DESTINATIONS
WORLD’S TOP DESTINATIONS
Pyramids of Giza
Bali
Santorini
Magic Kingdom, Florida
Eiffel Tower
The Great Sphinx
Brooklyn Bridge
Times Square
Phi Phi Islands (Thailand)
Walt Disney World Resort
TOP DESTINATIONS IN CANADA
Moraine Lake, Alberta (see photo above)
Emerald Lake, B.C.
Capilano Suspension Bridge, B.C.
Jasper National Park, Alberta
Halifax
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, B.C. (Don’t know a thing about it!)
Muskoka, Ontario
Whistler-Blackcomb
Toronto Islands’
Old Quebec City
TOP UNITED STATES DESTINATIONS
A morning rainbow at Napili Beach on Maui. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Magic Kingdom, Florida
Brooklyn Bridge
Times Square
Walt Disney World
Central Park
Yosemite
Grand Canyon
Maui
Disneyland
Waikiki Beach
TOP UNITED STATES CITIES
The views of New York City from the Empire State Building never get old. JIM BYERS PHOTO
New York City
Orlando
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
Honolulu
San Francisco
Miami Beach
Miami
Lake Buena Vista
San Diego
(As a proud Californian, I’ll mention that Anaheim, Yosemite and Santa Monica all made the top 15, meaning six of the top 15 were from the Golden State).
WORLD’S BEST CITIES
The Thames River and St. Paul’s in London. JIM BYERS PHOTO
New York
Paris
London
Giza
Orlando
Los Angeles
Dubai
Barcelona
Rome
Las Vegas
(Editor’s Note: The top Canadian city was Toronto, way down at number 57. Vancouver was 82nd and Banff 85th)
WORLD’S BEST COUNTRIES
A CIBC survey of Canadian travel wishes found that southern Europe, including France, is our number one dream destination. JIM BYERS PHOTO
USA
Italy
Spain
Mexico
UK
France
Egypt
Australia
Indonesia
Greece
(Canada was a respectable 14th)
It doesn’t mean a lot, but I do love a good list. In the meantime, pardon me while I google Joffre Lakes Provincial Park in British Columbia.
Okay, I just did. WOW. I somehow had no idea.
AEROPLAN ADDS ETIHAD AIRWAYS
Aeroplan’s global network of airline partners can get you to almost anywhere you want to go. And now, they’ve announced the addition of Etihad Airways, to their growing roster of airline travel partners.
Starting today, Aeroplan Members can accumulate and redeem Aeroplan Miles for travel with Etihad Airways, bringing the total number of Aeroplan airline partners to 35.
Established in 2003, Etihad Airways is the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates based in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi., Etihad presently offers flights to 76 destinations around the world, with many service resumptions coming soon.
HOTEL REBOUND IS COMING: MARRIOTT
A studio suite at The Douglas Hotel in Vancouver. PHOTO COURTESY PARQ VANCOUVER
My friends at Skift report that the chief executive of the world’s largest hotel company doesn’t expect coronavirus to forever upend the hotel industry.
Marriott President and CEO Arne Sorenson hasn’t disguised his thoughts on how negative the ongoing pandemic has been for hotels. He has repeatedly claimed the coronavirus impact on the hotel industry is worse than the 9/11 terrorist attacks and 2008 financial crisis combined. But Sorenson thinks analyst talk of coronavirus forever upending the hotel business model is overblown.
“I don’t think it will look that much different afterwards than it did before [coronavirus],” Sorenson said Monday during the Goldman Sachs Travel and Leisure Conference. “I just think the last three crises I’ve experienced with my relationship with Marriott…In every one, we’ve heard there are some aspects of your business that will never come back.
BUT HOTELS ALSO CHANGING
Here’s another interesting piece, this time from the Washington Post about how hotels had recently gone to open lobbies with spaces for social gathering but will now have to re-think their design features.
The story talks about how lobbies at posh hotels “once functioned as high-society gathering places, but over time that space gave way to cookie-cutter sameness. Boutique hoteliers started to revive and reactivate lobbies a few decades ago, followed by the hip W Hotels chain, which referred to the area as the “living room.”
The concept has become widespread in the past 10 to 15 years, with brands across the trendiness and budgetary spectrum embracing the idea of revving up their lobbies with food, drinks, activity and local engagement — and making them comfortable enough to lounge around in.
But that’s not necessarily a good thing in a time of physical/social distancing.
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