Every year, Lonely Planet whets our wanderlust with their pick of the best countries, regions and cities to visit in the upcoming year along with sustainable and cost-effective destinations. And there’s usually some surprising additions…
Celebrating 50 years of travel, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2024 print and digital guide features 50 must-visit destinations worldwide that set the travel agenda for next year and beyond.
Australia’s Kangaroo Island took out second place for Best Region – pipped at the post by Western Balkans’ Trans Dinarica Cycling Route – but ahead of Tuscany in Italy.
After the devastating 2020 bushfires, Lonely Planet noted Kangaroo Island has re-emerged as a premier ecotourism destination with many places reopening and will realise more of its potential in 2024.
Lonely Planet Senior Director of Trade Sales & Marketing (and ex-South Australian) Chris Zeiher said: “Kangaroo Island provides such a quintessential Australian travel experience. It’s blessed with amazing beaches, offers delicious food, wine and spirits experiences and delivers on the drama when it comes to outdoor adventures.”
“It’s been much lauded of late but 2024 is the year that Kangaroo Island will be set to capitalise on all of the accolades.
“Get there before the rest of the world works it out – 2024 is the year to pop KI on your travel list,” he said.
Kangaroo Island’s Stoke Bay was also crowned 2023’s Best Australian Beach.
Top 5 trending destinations
According to Lonely Planet, the Top 5 Countries to visit in 2024 are Mongolia, India, Morocco, Chile and Benin.
And the Top 5 Cities are similarly diverse: Nairobi, Kenya; Paris, France (Olympics, anyone?); Montreal, Canada; Mostar, Bosnia and Philadelphia, US.
For sustainable destinations, look to Spain (1); Patagonia, Argentina and Chile (2); Greenland (3), Wales’ trails (4) and The Portuguese Way walk (5).
For locations that offer great value for travellers, Lonely Planet selected the US Midwest (1); Poland (2); Nicaragua (3); Danube Limes, Romania (4) and Normandy, France (5).
New Zealand’s Southern Lakes & Central Otago region (including Queenstown and Wanaka) also achieved ninth place in the Best Value category.
Check out the full list at lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel
