Saturday Travel Shot: Tijuana, Mexico

Bumper to bumper traffic in Tijuana, Mexico en route to the United States.

Tags: border, mexico, tijuana, united states

Guest Nomad: The New Normal in Travel Destinations

Bogota Cathedral in Bogota, Colombia

This week’s “Guest Nomad” is Donna M. Airoldi. Donna is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer who is always ready to jump on a plane at a moment’s notice to travel just about anywhere in the world. She occasionally updates her nascent blog, Prepare for CrossCheck and is the former editorial director for TravelMuse.

Travel today is easier (despite enhanced security procedures) and more affordable than ever before, thanks to the Internet and its abundance of information to help make the most of your vacation time and money. Looking back over the past decade, I’ve noted a related effect whereas destinations once perceived to be too offbeat or dangerous to visit seem to gain traction with regular tourists beyond the adventure and backpacker markets faster than before the proliferation of online travel resources.

Listed below are five places I have visited since 2000 that when mentioned to U.S. friends and colleagues at the time of my travels elicited a unanimous response—“Is it safe?” The answer was always a resounding yes. Today, I’m more likely to get asked for recommendations or hear tales of their own adventures to the same places.

Of course, with increased popularity come the potential for over development and the risk of destroying the very things that make the places appealing in the first place, namely affordability, authenticity and few tourists. Still, despite the growing demand, these destinations are hardly on the same level as Las Vegas, Orlando or Cancun as mass tourism meccas, though some are getting closer than others.

1. Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos

Then: I celebrated the dawn of the aughts in Luang Prabang, Laos, and spent two more months in early 2000 exploring this trio of former French colonies in Southeast Asia. Laos was low on travelers’ radars, save for backpackers and the French. Cambodia drew a range from budget travelers to luxury seekers interested in the region’s culture and historic Angkor Wat. And though Vietnam had been enticing tourists from Europe for a decade, it was just beginning to draw interest from U.S. tourists. You could easily find a range of clean, basic Asian guesthouses and lovely French-colonial style accommodations from $5-$50 per night, often including breakfast.

Now: There’s been an explosion of Western-style hotels and services, especially in Vietnam and in Siem Reap, Cambodia, gateway to the Angkor ruins, to accommodate a growing number of visitors, many of which are tour groups from nearby Asian countries. Instead of a ride down the Mekong River in Laos perched on an uncomfortable 6-inch board, you can now luxuriate past jungle villages from the comfort of a teak houseboat. Increased competition means prices have remained super affordable, however, expect longer lines and be prepared to navigate around larger crowds at key tourist sites.

Still Low-key: The mysterious Plain of Jars in the Xieng Khouang, Phonsavan region of Laos. Seven of its main sites were recently cleared of land mines.

2. Nicaragua

Then: It had been more than a decade since the Iran-Contra affair brought attention to this Central American country, but that 1980s event is what had defined Nicaragua in the minds of most Americans. It didn’t help that former Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega, ousted in 1990, was running again for president during my trip in summer 2001. (He won reelection in 2006.) The only tourists I encountered were a handful of backpackers, a few Europeans and U.S. armed forces retirees looking for investment property along the country’s gorgeous Pacific coast.

Now: It’s practically become cliché to call Nicaragua the new Costa Rica. Zip lines, river rafting, eco tours, surf schools, resorts and boutique hotels, spas and vegetarian restaurants are being added on a regular basis. Volcano boarding now joins volcano hiking as a desired activity. I’m returning in a few months with a friend’s family, which includes two teenagers. Ten years ago, kids their age would have wanted to go to Disney World. Today; they want to learn to surf and explore the real jungle.

Still Low-key: Solentiname islands and artist colony in the southern part of Lake Nicaragua.

3. Croatia

Then: The Balkan wars of the 1990s had barely ended when I headed to this diverse country on the Dalmatian coast in December 2002. A fair number of bombed houses remained abandoned along the roadways, and the mortar damage on the ancient walls of Dubrovnik’s Old Town had yet to be completely repaired. But those negative images were minor blips once you focused instead on the beautiful interior hills and mountains; the stunning islands, beaches and fishing towns on the Adriatic coast; the incredibly affordable and savory food—from pastries and cheeses to cured goods and bear meat; and, last but not least, the ever-present brandies, served morning ‘til night by warm-welcoming folks genuinely eager to share their history and culture.

Now: Before the recession, tourism arrivals were increasing upwards of 50 percent per year, with sailing enthusiasts leading the way to historic Split and other coastal havens; Dubrovnik is now a staple on cruise itineraries; and the capital Zagreb is more than just a required stop for U.S. business travelers, with an increasing nightlife scene and the newly opened Museum of Contemporary Art. Prices are still relatively reasonable though: Rates at the historic and luxurious Pucić Palace in Dubrovnik start at 160 euros (US$230) per night during the slow winter season (roughly double that for prime summer rates).

Still Low-key: Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

4. Colombia

Then: I had to talk my usually intrepid travel companion into accompanying me in June 2006 to this country known more for its drug cartels rather than its beautiful mountains and beaches, coffee plantations and novelist extraordinaire Gabriel García Márquez. Most memorable experiences from our trip are Bogotá’s La Calendaria neighborhood of excellent restaurants, galleries and museums; the Old Town section of Cartagena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, founded in 1533 on the Caribbean coast; and a dip in the thick, gray gooiness of the Totumo mud volcano.

Now: Most typical tourists remain cautious about visiting Colombia, but the country is gaining interest. Cartagena is back on several cruise itineraries, and JetBlue now flies direct into Bogotá. Prices have increased considerably though in three years. Luxury boutique hotels in Cartagena are now about $250 to $400 per night, up from $150 to $200 per night; the upper-level rooms at the stylish mid-range B&B Casa la Fe are now $140 per night, up from $80 when we stayed there.

Still Low-key: Five-day round-trip jungle hike from Santa Marta to Ciudad Perdida, the “Lost City,” one of the largest pre-Columbian towns, discovered in 1975.

5. Israel

Then: Just three months had passed since Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire over the conflict in the Gaza Strip when I ventured to the Holy Land for a week this past March. If you hadn’t read or heard about the conflict, you never would have known it had happened; it felt perfectly safe wandering about Jerusalem, Tel Aviv—celebrating its 100th anniversary this past year—and the many historic sites. (Disclosure: I was part of a group of travel bloggers on a trip sponsored by the Israeli government.) Several locals expressed surprise though when they learned we were visiting out of curiosity about the country and weren’t Jewish or on a pilgrimage tour.

Now: OK, admittedly it’s too soon for a true “then and now” comparison. But Israel is rightly gaining interest as an adventure destination beyond its religious and historical appeal. Don’t get me wrong—visiting the Western Wall, Caesarea, Masada and floating in the Dead Sea were amazing experiences. But it was also fun to see Israel’s budding wine country, to drive ATVs in the Golan Heights, and to explore the desert landscape on a jeep tour. Diving the Red Sea and rock climbing in the south are growing in popularity as well.

Still Low-key: Surprise people with a ski vacation to Israel—snow ski on Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights.

Future Hot Spots?

As for the future off-the-beaten-path destinations that likely will take off during the next 10 years? I spent time in China’s Xinjiang province a couple months after its July riots, but that’s still way off most tourist maps and will remain so for a while. Internet communications to the region were finally restored just this week. And there are plenty of places I’m heading to in the coming year that also won’t be in danger of being over-developed anytime soon (Myanmar and Ethiopia, to name just two). But my short list of places to get to sooner rather than later this decade includes Cuba, Tunisia, Romania, Guatemala, and Chiapas, Mexico. Hope to meet you on the road in 2010!

Tags: 2010, bogota, cambodia, china, colombia, croatia, cuba, guatemala, israel, laos, mexico, nicaragua, romania, Travel, tunisia, vietnam

Christmas Around the World, Part I

Happy Holidays! Hope everyone has a great couple of days with family and friends. Bottom line is that no matter how far you travel, coming home is still one of the best places to be. Here are some images of Christmas around the world. Check back tomorrow for even more shots from holiday season celebrations.

Tags: christmas, france, holidays, lisbon, Madrid, mexico, mexico city, new york city, Paris, portugal, spain

Sunday Travel Shot: Ixtapa, Mexico

Tags: ixtapa, mexico

Who Visits America The Most?

Canadians still visit the United States way more than any other foreign country around the world.

Last week I wrote about how America was voted the “most liked” country in the world. So with so much love for the U.S. going around, one question must be asked. Has the world’s crush on Uncle Sam helped with the country’s tourism? In a word…kinda.

Year after year when the U.S. Commerce Department’s Office of Travel & Tourism (OTTI) releases their data of which countries have visited America the most, two destinations continuously top the list – #1 Canada and #2 Mexico. That really should not come as a surprise since both countries sandwich the U.S. and are more easily accessible than any other locations on the planet.

So who else is checking out the streets of New York, the Hollywood hills, and all points in between? Well coming in at #3 is the United Kingdom. Even with a decline of 16.9% in tourism through July 2009, the U.K. is still the most popular visitors from overseas.

Another country that visits often is #4 Japan, which also saw a major decline of 17.6% for year-to-year tourism traffic. Coming in at #5 was Germany, and yes just like the rest of the countries listed, Deutschland saw a 7.5% drop in tourists between July 2008 and 2009.

Now if you are wondering why so many people have halted hauling themselves to the U.S., it is quite simple – the economy. Due to a worldwide economic meltdown over the last year and a half, international tourism is down across the board sharply. Just like many Americans have skipped taking worldwide jaunts in favor of more domestic trips, so has the rest of the world apparently.

To help remedy the continuous decline of foreign visitors, Congress is considering a Travel Promotion Act. In it, anyone that shows up to the United States must pay an additional $10 fee. The money collected would be used to start a travel campaign in various countries around the world to boost interest in visiting the United States.

Currently the Commerce Department is not funding any ad campaigns to promote travel to the States. Yes you read that correctly…no marketing at all! The last time the U.S. was promoted was back in 2007, and even then it only received a measly $4-$9 million dollars. What a joke.

On a positive note, with the economy getting slightly…and I stress slightly better, tourism has picked up a bit and that is always a good thing for any country. Below is a list of the top 20 countries that visited the United States between January and July 2009, the amount of visitors, and how much tourism has decreased from the same time the previous year.

1. Canada (10, 108, 302 visitors) – 9% decline

2. Mexico (3,308,779) – 9.9% decline
   

3. United Kingdom (2,149,149) – 16.9% decline
   

4. Japan (1,564,441) – 17.6% decline
   

5. Germany (921,874) – 7.5% decline

6. France (694,340) – 1.1% decline

7. Brazil (469, 985) – a slight increase

8. South Korea (415,509) – 12% decline

9. Italy (379, 641) – 4% decline

10. Australia (376, 614) – 2.7% decline

The remaining 11-20 include: India, People’s Republic of China, Netherlands, Spain, Venezuela, Ireland, Colombia, Argentina, Switzerland, and Sweden.

Courtesy of Forbes Traveler.

Tags: argentina, australia, brazil, canada, colombia, france, germany, india, ireland, italy, japan, mexico, netherlands, People's Republic of China, south korea, spain, sweden, switzerland, united kingdom, united states of america, Venezuela