pass tourism 2023

Vancouver Attractions Passport – City Pass for Tourists 2024

The Vancouver Attractions Pass is the best (actually, the only ) Vancouver tourism passport on the market.

With it, you’ll be able to explore the city’s most popular attractions with a single ticket.

The pass includes skip-the-line tickets to a dozen must-sees like Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain + bike tours , harbour tours, and more.

Let’s see how the Vancouver City Pass gets your holiday planned right from the couch.

Vancouver Attraction Passport

Vancouver’s unrivalled natural beauty and long list of cultural items make it a great city to explore.

Unfortunately, all of our city’s acclaim and accolades come with one major downside: it’s an expensive place to live – and visit.

Cue the Vancouver Attractions Pass .

With this convenient discount pass, you can save money on your upcoming holiday just for visiting stuff you’ve already had planned.

This Vancouver tourist pass includes many of the top things to do in Vancouver plus some of the city’s best tours.

What’s Included in the Vancouver City Pass?

This Vancouver Attraction Passport breaks down two ways:

• City Tour Pass : Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park, Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver Lookout, Bloedel Conservatory.
• Summer Tour Pass : Grouse Mountain, VanDusen Botanical Garden, Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tours, Vancouver Harbour Cruise, Cycle City Tours.

Both of these passes carry a one-year validity .

How Much Does it Cost and Is it Worth It?

The Vancouver Attraction Passport costs $113.66 USD (children $57.66).

The Summer Tour Pass costs $152.38 (children $94.72).

Let’s break down the Vancouver City Tour Pass:

• Capilano Suspension Bridge : $51.34
• Vancouver Aquarium : $34.25
• Vancouver Art Gallery : $22.57
• Vancouver Lookout : $13.52
• Bloedel Conservatory : $6.87

That brings you to a total of $128.55 – a savings of $14.99 per person .

Even taking away the Bloedel Conservatory, you’re saving money.

You’re also getting skip-the-line tickets which could save you 20-30 minutes per attraction in summer, which adds value as well.

This isn’t even counting the 5% discount voucher which I’ll get to below.

How Do I Buy This Vancouver Sightseeing Pass?

Post-COVID, the only place offering this tourist discount pass is travel discount site KKday .

It’s as simple as buying something on Amazon – once you’ve put the payment through you’ll get your voucher by email.

From here, all you do is show your Vancouver Attraction Pass voucher (sent via email) to get in at the attractions.

If you’re coming using the Vancouver Planner link button below, you can use a 5% discount code (APP5OFF) if you make the purchase using the KKDay app.

Finally, if you’re looking to experience Vancouver nature under one ticket (this was launched June 1st, 2023 ) you can also check out this amazing combo pass:

Vancouver Tourist Pass: What’s Included

Update: 05/12/2023 : The original Vancouver Attraction Passport still has not been reinstated after it was taken off the market for COVID. The attractions below were included in the original pass but many of them will not be found in the current pass.

For the full list of sights + terms and conditions, please click the button above or follow this link .

Museum of Vancouver (2-for-1 admission)

*up to a max value of $18.00

The Museum of Vancouver is a civic-history museum in the trendy Kitsilano neighbourhood , just outside downtown.

Here you’ll recount our city’s fascinating transformation from a rugged pioneer outpost to the cosmopolitan metropolis we see today.

Learn about the city before the city via a variety of exhibits outlining the history of the area’s First Nations groups .

Vancouver Art Gallery (25% off admission)

*Maximum of two adults

Located in a stunning neo-classical building in the heart of downtown, the Vancouver Art Gallery is the largest public art museum in Western Canada.

With a collection of over 10,000 pieces , you’re guaranteed to find something that catches your eye.

Favourites include a series of works from BC modernist painter Emily Carr , a repository of works from local Vancouverites and an impressive collection of 17th-century Dutch masterpieces.

Vancouver Police Museum (one free admission)

*purchase of admission of equal or greater value required.

The Vancouver Police Museum will take you through the city’s history of policing, crime, and punishment. Situated in the city’s former morgue, the VPM is the oldest museum of its kind in North America.

The building houses a collection of over 20,000 artifacts, photos and documents, including seized weapons, illegal drugs, and counterfeit money.

Afterward, you can visit the morgue, which remains primarily untouched since it was decommissioned.

Museum of Anthropology (2-for-1 admission)

*Up to a max value of $18.00

The Museum of Anthropology is a world-renown anthropological museum that houses an extensive collection of traditional and contemporary art from cultures all over the globe – with a heavy BC influence.

The MOA contains perhaps the most extensive collection of works from Northwest Coast First Nations groups worldwide. There is not a more prototypically British Columbian experience available in the city.

Be sure to catch the famous cedar sculpture The Raven and the First Men by acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid. 

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (2-for-1 entry or 25% off)

*2 for 1 (Oct 1-Apr 30) or 25% off up to 2 adults (May-Sep 30)

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is the first classical Chinese scholar’s garden built outside China. Moreover, the garden has been named the best urban garden in the world  by National Geographic. 

Located in the heart of Chinatown , this urban oasis is the perfect respite from the gritty streets. The stunning assortment of rocks, plants, pagodas and lily-covered ponds have been carefully positioned in accordance with the Taoist yin/yang principle.

Vancouver Lookout (25% off admission)

Many visitors have told us they left firm in the belief that Vancouver is the most beautiful city in the world .

Sure, it’s just a matter of opinion, but before making up your mind, I’d suggest taking a trip to the Vancouver Lookout observation deck.

Once you enter the glass elevator, you’ll be whisked 169 metres (553 feet) above the historic streets of Gastown below.

Once you reach the top, you’ll receive 360-degree panoramic views  of Burrard Inlet, the North Shore Mountains and the Vancouver skyline. 

VanDusen Botanical Garden (25% or 50% off admission)

*25% off in high season (Apr-Sep) and 50% off in low season (Oct-Mar)

The VanDusen Botanical Garden is a 55-acre urban oasis in the heart of Vancouver’s Oakridge neighbourhood – and it’s included in the Vancouver BC city pass.

The garden contains over 7,500 different species of plants and trees from all over the world.

Spot and photograph local wildlife, find your way through the Elizabethan maze, or peruse the grounds at your own pace.

In addition, the garden is home to a variety of popular seasonal festivals, including the Sakura Days Cherry Blossom Festival and the Holiday Festival of Lights .

Vancouver Attractions Discount for Tours

Vancouver Forbidden Walking Tours (2-for-1 with Vancouver Tourist Pass)

*Purchase one ticket online to receive your coupon and present it upon arrival for your tour.

Gaze deep beneath Vancouver’s surface to see a seedy underbelly riddled with crime , intrigue and scandal . You’ll wander the streets with an expert guide on one of five one-of-a-kind walking tours .

Discover Vancouver’s depression era secrets, unearth Stanley Park’s sinister past or check out a tour focused on LGBTQ travellers.

Either way, Forbidden Vancouver comes highly recommended, with a coveted five-star rating on Trip Advisor.

Cycle City Tours (15% off or 25% off, dependent on the season)

*15% off in July & August and 25% off the remainder of the year

Looking to get in a bit of exercise while you explore the city? Luckily with its generous bike lanes, relaxed biking culture and legendary Seawall , Vancouver is one of the most bike-able cities in North America .

In my opinion, the best way to take advantage is via the famous Cycle City Tour .

Casually cruise the city with your professional guide and hear fascinating and humorous stories along the way. Choose from the Grand Tour or focus on Stanley Park , one of the best urban parks in the world.

Hop On Hop Off Tour ($10 off for Adults/$4 off for children)

Operated by Westcoast Sightseeing, the Vancouver Hop on Hop Off Tour allows you to create your own custom Vancouver itinerary from 28 convenient stops .

It includes Gastown , Chinatown , Granville Island and Stanley Park .

Travel on an open-air convertible bus or the popular San Francisco trolley-style vehicle along with a group of like-minded travellers.

It’s the fastest way to soak up the most Vancouver info.

Capilano Suspension Bridge & Grouse Mountain ($25 off with Vancouver Attractions Pass)

*$25 off for adults and $15 off for children

Also operated by Westcoast Sightseeing, this combination tour offers a trip to two of the most famous sights in Vancouver.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain draw over 1.2 million visitors yearly, so you won’t want to miss them.

Located in the suburb of North Vancouver , the 140-metre-long Capilano Suspension bridge traverses the beautiful Capilano River in front of a stunning mountain landscape.

Afterwards, you’ll head to nearby Grouse Mountain, where you’ll climb over 4,000 feet to take part in a variety of recreational, cultural and educational activities. 

Ski just 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver, enjoy the local wildlife, or take in the stunning views from the famous Eye of the Wind!

These are quite possibly the two most popular attractions in the city , so to receive admission to them both in one low-price package is a steal.

Vancouver Brewery Tours (15% off all tours with Vancouver tourism pass)

Beer always tastes better with friends, so why not join a group of thirsty travellers to sample the very best of Vancouver’s vibrant beer community ?

Join Vancouver Brewery Tours for behind-the-scenes access at three of Vancouver’s best breweries using this Vancouver sightseeing pass.

You’ll taste tons of Vancouver’s finest craft beers .

It’s ranked one of the top ten beer experiences in the world by Trip Advisor.

Taste Vancouver Walking Tours (20% off all tours)

This award-winning culinary walking tour series subscribes to the simple motto of offering more yum and fun! And it’s included in the Vancouver City Pass.

Enjoy a mouth-watering foodie experience that takes you on a journey through Vancouver’s most trendy neighbourhoods .

Taste Vancouver offers three different options, including culinary treks through; Gastown , Little Italy and the emerging Vancouver food scene of the Shipyards on the city’s North Shore . 

Vancouver Visitor Pass for Outdoor Adventure

Salmon fishing charters (save 10% with the vancouver tourism passport).

Some of the largest salmon runs in the world return to the waters of the Salish Sea, right outside Vancouver.

As a result, local anglers are blessed with virtual year-round access to  five species of salmon and a wide variety of groundfish.

If you’d like to test the waters, Pacific Angler Fishing Charters offers guided tours that will grant you the chance to catch a 50 lb Chinook right on Vancouver’s doorstep. 

Hyak River Rafting (2-for-1 rafting trips with the Vancouver tourist card)

*Max one free adult

The valleys of the Coast Mountain range serve as a conduit to empty the Vancouver area’s glacial river waters into the Pacific.

The result? Some of the best white water rafting available anywhere.

Hyak River Rafting offers a variety of exhilarating rafting tours to the rivers surrounding the Lower Mainland. Choose from the local Chilliwack River , or go further afield to BC’s interior to conquer the more challenging Thompson River .

1,2,3, and 6-day adventures are available.

Vancouver Whale Watch (save 20% per person)

The waters surrounding Vancouver are home to 4 species of whales, in addition to a stunning array of dolphins, porpoises, and marine mammals.

You can take part in an exciting local whale-watching tour to experience the thrill of seeing these amazing creatures in their natural environment.

Vancouver Whale Watch offers 3 to 5-hour tours from historic Steveston Village in both open-air and semi-covered zodiac-style boats. Onboard hydrophones will allow you to hear firsthand the wild calls of Killer Whales and Humpbacks.

And the best part is that sightings are guaranteed!

Windsure Adventure Watersports (2-for-1 lessons)

*Applies to windsurfing and paddle boarding group lessons.

I get it; watersports aren’t likely to significantly influence your decision to come to Canada. However, many people are surprised to learn that Vancouver is blessed with a stunning array of urban beaches .

To take advantage, Windsure Adventure Watersports provides a series of exciting instructional windsurfing and paddleboard classes from their Jericho Sailing Centre compound.

After a dry land simulation and sailing theory class, you’re on to the on-water instruction, where you can enjoy the sun from the sparkling waters of English Bay.

Day Trips with a Tourism Vancouver Passport

Whistler village & shannon falls ($30 off for adults/$15 for youth).

*Includes 3 hours in Whistler and a stop at the Shannon Falls waterfall.

Located two hours North of Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway , Whistler is home to the largest ski resort in North America .

The resort is most famous for hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics . However, it’s far from just a Winter wonderland.

The stunning landscape, pedestrian-only Village and down-to-earth mountain culture make Whistler an unforgettable year-round destination .

Enjoy world-class restaurants , a vibrant nightlife and a never-ending choice of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Victoria & Butchart Gardens ($25 off for adults/$12 off for youth)

*Includes a ferry ride to and from Victoria, entry to Butchart Gardens and a few hours to explore Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

Victoria is located 114 kilometres Southwest of Vancouver on Vancouver Island . This quaint provincial capital city combines old-world British charm with Westcoast beauty and sophistication.

After a two-hour ferry ride across the Salish Sea, you’ll head to legendary Butchart Gardens . Over one million visitors a year make the trek to marvel at over 55 acres of lush greens and blooms. 

Afterwards, you can take some time to walk the cobblestone streets of the picturesque Inner Harbour . Enjoy the music, shop in the area’s charming boutiques or enjoy a world-class dining experience. 

This is one of the best day trips from Vancouver .

Gulf of Georgia Cannery (2-for-1 admission or 50% off single access)

If you’re looking for a trip using the Vancouver City Pass that’s a little closer to your hotel, then a day trip to historic Steveston Village is just what the doctor ordered.

Located 40 minutes South of downtown Vancouver , Steveston is the epicentre of BC’s fishing industry and a popular tourist attraction.

Experience the area’s history firsthand with a trip to the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National historic site with the Vancouver Attractions Pass.

Enjoy interactive exhibits, films and guided tours celebrating this vital industry and the people who have worked in it for over a century.

Britannia Mine Museum (Save $5 per person)

*Up to a maximum of 2 adults and 2 children.

Located a 45-minute drive North of Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway , the Britannia Mine Museum is a national historic site and highly acclaimed tourist attraction.

With the Vancouver tourist card you can take the opportunity to see and experience what was once the largest copper mine in the entire British Empire .

The building has since transformed into an award-winning museum offering awe-inspiring sights and memorable family experiences through various interactive exhibits.

Vancouver Travel Discount Pass FAQs

What is the vancouver attraction passport and experiences guide.

The Vancouver Attraction Passport and Experiences Guide is a guidebook and discount pass that offers discounts at 55 museums, attractions, and restaurants.

How do you purchase the Vancouver Attraction Passport and Experiences Guide?

The tourist pass can be purchased online and shipped to your home.

Alternatively, you can pick up your guidebook at Vancouver International Airport or Downtown Vancouver upon arrival.

How much is the Vancouver Attraction Passport and Experiences Guide?

The guidebook costs $113.66 when purchased online via our friends at KKday .

Ready to Stamp your Vancouver Attraction Passport?

That signals the end of our look at the Vancouver Attraction Passport and Experiences Guide. But I promise, if you’re willing to make the small investment, the savings are just beginning!

Do you have any more questions about the guidebook? Or maybe something else Vancouver-related?

I can always be reached in the comment section below or on the Vancouver Planner Facebook page. So don’t hesitate to ask.

But in the meantime, enjoy your Vancouver discount pass.

Related posts

Where to Stay in Vancouver – Best Areas to Stay

3 Days in Vancouver: Plan the Perfect 3 Day Itinerary

2 Days in Vancouver: Plan a Perfect Weekend Itinerary

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16 comments

I’m traveling to Vancouver in late December 2021. I’d like to purcahe the Vancouver Attraction Passport now, but I can’t find the right area to do so. Please help.

Hello Beverly! Unfortunately at the moment due to COVID these types of passes have been temporarily put on hold while the industry recovers… I imagine a lot of their profitability has to do with large volumes of tourists, which we unfortunately haven’t had 🙁

I really hope we can have some news for you soon.

Hi, I am trying to purchase the Vancouver Attraction Passport and I can’t seem to find it.

Please help.

Unfortunately this pass has been discontinued during COVID. Once the pass has been reinstated we’ll be updating the website accordingly… let’s hope it’s back soon because that means tourism is back to normal!

Hello, so this passport is only to get discount for attractions correct? Does it cover any of the attractions at all?

Hi Veronica,

Yes indeed, it’s just a discount pass 🙂 Unfortunately it has yet to be reinstated post-COVID but we hope this is the case soon.

Hi, would like to do a quick check, the attraction passport is still not avail if we are travelling Vancouver in April 2022? If it isn’t, are there alternatives. Thanks.

Yes, unfortunately the pass is still not live yet 🙁 I have heard rumours they’re revamping it for a full relaunch but nothing going as of yet… I assume post-COVID they’re going to have to make some huge adjustments depending on who survived, who changed their prices/options etc. This is the same with all the passes unfortunately.

Such a weird time… but I hope to have some info soon.

HI, I’M NATALIA GOMEZ, I will travel with my Husband to vancouver in MAY 2022 and we would like to buy the discount pass or which package with some attractions ticket do you recommend to get to know Vancouver 1 week?

Hi Natalia,

Unfortunately the Vancouver Attraction Pass is still ‘in limbo’ due to COVID. I have a suspicion that they are changing a few things and will be relaunching it soon, but as of now there is no discount pass available online.

At this point I would simply plan my Vancouver Itinerary and book the attractions individually. That said, in the next couple months the pass might be relaunched so do keep an eye out.. I will be updating this page as soon as I know something.

Hi, We are travelling to Vancouver and Canada Rockies this May. Can I check if we are able to purchase Canada Sim Card at Vancouver International Airport? Thank you.

Hello Mei! Thank you for writing 🙂

Yes, you can purchase Canada SIM cards at the 7-11 in the airport – it’s located on Level 1 in the Domestic Terminal Building.

Please let me know if you have any more questions… always here to help!

Hello, hope you’re well.

Any news on the reinstatement of the passport?

Will it be available this summer?

Hi Sebastian,

No word yet 🙁 I’ve been anticipating word in spring for the summer but still nothing… once we hear something it’ll be posted here ASAP.

Dear Sirs: My wife and I are considering purchasing the “Vancouver Attraction Passport” for a visit to Vancouver in September, 2023. Is the price of 36.06 CAD a price per person or a price for a couple? You state that there are fifty-five (55) attractions with a discount available. I need a list of the 55 attractions, ideally with the 2023 retail price shown, then the discount amount or percentage shown.

Gary W. Jamison

Unfortunately as mentioned above this pass has been discontinued pre-COVID and we’re still waiting for it to come back. As such, I can’t make any comment about price or otherwise… I am hoping it comes back and I can have some info for you soon!

52 Places to Go in 2023

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London  Copied to clipboard!

A buzzing city ready for a coronation, a brand-new airport link and a prehistoric colossus read more.

Tom Jamieson for The New York Times

Between an altered post-lockdown landscape, sensational changeovers at 10 Downing Street and the death of Queen Elizabeth II, there is no doubt that London is in transition. But the city continues to juxtapose old traditions and new possibilities, offering something for everyone who loves culture, history, art and nightlife.

For fans of the royal family, and maybe a few naysayers, the crowning of King Charles III , Britain’s first coronation in seven decades, will be the main event in May. There’s also the revamping of Battersea Power Station , an iconic former coal-fired power plant, into a shopping and leisure hub, and a new line on the Underground will directly connect Heathrow Airport to the central boroughs. A cast of a titanosaur, the largest creature ever to walk the planet, will make its European debut at the Natural History Museum , and late-night obsessives can head to newly opened dance clubs like the Beams . Big changes, yes, but a wealth of new choices, too.

— Isabella Kwai

Morioka  Copied to clipboard!

A walkable gem without the crowds, just a short bullet train ride from tokyo read more.

Andrew Faulk for The New York Times

Morioka, Japan

Until this past October, Japan maintained some of the most stringent travel restrictions of any major country. Now, travelers are beginning to stream back to popular destinations like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

The city of Morioka, in Iwate Prefecture, however, is often passed over or outright ignored. Circumscribed by mountains, it lies a few hours north of Tokyo by Shinkansen, the Japanese high-speed rail lines. Morioka’s downtown is eminently walkable. The city is filled with Taisho-era buildings that mix Western and Eastern architectural aesthetics as well as modern hotels, a few old ryokan (traditional inns) and winding rivers. One draw is an ancient castle site turned into a park.

There’s also fantastic coffee, including one of Japan’s third-wave originators: Nagasawa Coffee, whose owner, Kazuhiro Nagasawa, is so committed to his beans that he uses a vintage German-made Probat roaster, which he personally imported and restored. Azumaya serves up all-you-can-eat wanko soba , which comes served in dozens of tiny bowls; Booknerd offers classic Japanese art books; and Johnny’s, a jazz cafe, has been open for over 40 years. An hour west by car: Lake Tazawa and dozens of world-class hot springs.

— Craig Mod

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park  Copied to clipboard!

The majesty and awe of towering buttes in a setting fit for hollywood read more.

Rachael Wright

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park,

Americans have been flocking to national parks, many of which were overrun with visitors during the peak of pandemic-related international border closures. Amid the bustle, peacefully taking in the majesty of nature can be a challenge.

Monument Valley offers a less crowded alternative. The site, known as Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii in Navajo, has been a popular insignia for the American West ever since John Wayne rode in to film “Stagecoach” in 1939, and the grandeur of its cinematic sandstone buttes, towering above a copper-red desert vastness, elicits a feeling of reverence and awe.

The tribal park, which features a 17-mile driving loop, is open to visitors under the stewardship of the Navajo Nation. Its relatively basic infrastructure — in contrast to sites governed by the National Park Service — and its out-of-the-way location on the Arizona-Utah state line help create a more serene experience compared with other awe-inspiring U.S. destinations.

— Rachael Wright

Kilmartin Glen  Copied to clipboard!

A misty scottish stonehenge, with all of the mystery and far fewer visitors read more.

Andy Haslam for The New York Times

Kilmartin Glen, Scotland

The sun rises over Kilmartin Glen as it has for thousands of years, illuminating an ancient landscape of more than 800 archaeological monuments sprouting in the mist. This verdant valley on Scotland’s wild west coast is one of the most significant prehistoric sites in Britain, yet it’s largely off the visitor circuit; imagine Stonehenge without the crowds.

Wander among majestic stone circles, standing slabs that jut from the earth, burial cairns and rock carvings of concentric rings, expanding like ripples from a drop of water. And now the past is getting a refresh: The Kilmartin Museum is reopening with expanded exhibits and new experiences that delve into the region’s relics and flourishing natural life, including Moine Mhor (Great Moss), one of the few remaining raised bogs in Europe, above which looms the Iron Age hill fort of Dunadd.

For full immersion into the Scotland of yore, stay at the moody 16th-century Kilmartin Castle , which was recently transformed into a boutique hotel, with vaulted ceilings, copper tubs and a wild swimming pond.

— AnneLise Sorensen

Auckland  Copied to clipboard!

New Zealand

Pastries that rival France’s best, with a side of adventure tourism on the North Island Read more

Susan Wright for The New York Times

Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland is usually considered the entry point for the rest of New Zealand’s natural attractions, but travelers just passing through can miss that it’s also the culinary capital (sorry, Wellington).

Restaurants that have been germinating while the country’s borders were closed are now ready to be sampled by all. Just 10 minutes on foot from the newly renovated downtown, for instance, takes you to Hugo’s Bistro , where a regular clientele, including many lawyers, dines on unfussy French-inspired food that takes advantage of New Zealand’s fertility: Saffron, wasabi and truffles, among other delicacies, are grown in the country. Cazador , a longtime staple of the residential neighborhood Mt. Eden, serves local game in its restaurant and house-cured meats in its delicatessen.

The city’s famous multiculturalism also plays a part: Omni , which opened in 2020 and whose head chef worked at Hong Kong’s Yardbird, makes high-end yakitori, and Little French Pastry ’s founders, originally from France, serve up mille-feuille rivaling Paris’s best.

Palm Springs  Copied to clipboard!

Spotting stars in the streets and counting galaxies in the sky read more.

Beth Coller for The New York Times

Palm Springs, California

Yes, this is the land of midcentury nostalgia, with its low-slung Modernist architecture and the recent return of the 26-foot-tall “ Forever Marilyn ” statue. But these days, there’s another headliner: the surrounding desert, and the dark skies above.

Astrotourism is on the rise, with a constellation of ways to explore the cosmos, including at the Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory , which offers tours and monthly “Swoon at the Moon” events. Unfurl a blanket on the desert floor and gaze up at the starry sky at Joshua Tree National Park . This designated International Dark Sky Park has one of the darkest skies in California, with stargazing treks and the annual Night Sky Festival .

The desert nature and history that flourish around Palm Springs are also shaping the city’s landscape, including the new Palm Springs Downtown Park , designed to reflect Indian Canyons , ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians; the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza and Museum , which, when it opens later this year, will be one of the largest Native American cultural centers on the West Coast; and new desert-inspired hotels like Azure Sky .

Kangaroo Island  Copied to clipboard!

A haven for koalas and other wild creatures, healing after devastating wildfires read more, kangaroo island, australia.

A short trip from Adelaide, South Australia’s capital, the nearly 1,700-square-mile Kangaroo Island is known for incredible wildlife, breathtaking ocean views and its status as an ecological haven — like a zoo without fences.

Three years ago, devastating fires consumed the island, wiping out wildlife and destroying a famous luxury hotel, the Southern Ocean Lodge . Efforts to rebuild are continuing, and the island is more compelling than ever to visit. New organizations that sprang up to help with the wildlife recovery offer visitors a chance to play a part in funding that regeneration.

At the Kangaroo Island Koala and Wildlife Rescue Centre , you can book a private tour to see the animal hospital facilities, or bottle-feed a joey (a baby kangaroo). At the long-established Seal Bay Conservation Park , you can watch one of Australia’s largest colonies of sea lions frolic on the beach. And in 2023 the Southern Ocean Lodge will reopen, grander and better than before.

— Besha Rodell

Vjosa River  Copied to clipboard!

Cycling through the canyons and valleys of one of europe’s last untamed waterways read more.

Shutterstock

Vjosa River, Albania

Protecting the Vjosa , one of Europe’s last undammed rivers, hasn’t been easy. After a decade of proposed projects that threatened to alter the waterway’s wild flow, its innumerable ecosystems and its valleys strewn with ancient communities, the Albanian government signed a commitment last June to create the Vjosa Wild River National Park .

Making good on that pledge, scheduled to become reality in 2023, will establish a global conservation model while preserving the country’s canyon-lined, 120-mile stretch of the 169-mile waterway, which runs from the Pindus Mountains in Greece to the Adriatic Sea, as well as including around 60 miles of tributaries.

For travelers — on trails like Albania’s new UNESCO Cycling Route (opening January 2023), which runs along the river and visits World Heritage sites like the city of Gjirokastra — safeguarding the Vjosa and its river system, with over 1,100 animal species, encourages responsible discovery of alpine settlements, where locals welcome adventurers for coffee, raki (local fruit brandy) and a chance to imbibe oft-overlooked Balkan culture.

— Alex Crevar

Accra  Copied to clipboard!

Feast first, dance later, in a hub of innovative west african cuisine read more.

Jessica Sarkodie for The New York Times

Accra, Ghana

Accra’s food scene typically consists of two schools: “chop bars” that serve traditional, cheap meals like fufu (made from pounded cassava, green plantains or yams) with tomato-based spicy soup, and pricier restaurants serving foreign fare.

Travelers to Accra, Ghana’s capital, can now see a new wave of chefs and entrepreneurs bridging this gap by emphasizing and innovating with local produce. At the Mix, a new restaurant and design hub, the West African staple gari (granulated cassava root) is dyed pink with beetroot and accompanies squid in a passion fruit sauce.

The sustainable food space in Accra is also one to watch; Ghana Food Movement , an educational group, hosts events throughout the year, including a signature Dine & Dance series in which underutilized indigenous ingredients like millet, eaten by Ghanaians almost exclusively as porridge, are made into stars over three courses. The meal is followed by a dance party, of course, in true Ghanaian fashion.

— Jessica Sarkodie

Tromso  Copied to clipboard!

A clear-skied hot spot where aurora seekers are likely to spy their dazzling prize read more.

Nerd Nomads Travel Blog

Tromso, Norway

After years of low solar activity, projections are looking up for travelers hoping to experience the aurora borealis, or northern lights. As the sun’s volatility increases, with more coronal mass ejections and solar flares, so, too, will the frequency and intensity of the aurora. Experts predict solar activity to peak in 2025, explained Trond S. Trondsen, an aurora expert at Keo Scientific , a designer of specialized optical instruments for space research in Calgary, Alberta. Already, he said, “the number of sunspots are climbing faster than predicted .”

One of the best places to see the northern lights, Tromso, Norway, is more than 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and is relatively accessible, as far as reliable viewing locations go. Travelers can get there either by plane or by a combination of train and bus. Cruise ships and ferries are also a possibility.

Most important, the town’s surrounding landscape, near the sea but with mountains nearby, offers enough distinct weather zones to make it likely that there will be clear skies most nights — a must for seeing the lights when they do appear.

— Ingrid Williams

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park  Copied to clipboard!

Blinding white dunes and aquamarine pools in an otherworldly natural water park read more.

Scott Baker

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

Want to feel like you’ve traveled so far that you’re only vaguely tethered to Earth? Welcome to Lençóis Maranhenses , a horizon of rolling, blindingly white sand dunes rising into the sun and descending into otherworldly green and blue lagoons filled with rainwater.

Forget your cell signal or trappings of comfort: There are few if any structures, people or even trees around, and the park’s location near the Equator means it’s blazingly hot during the day. Yet almost all Brazilians will tell you they want to visit this remote area to experience the sensation of playing in a lunar water park.

Logroll down the dunes, splashing into the natural pools. Traverse the area on horseback, stopping at “oases” along the way. Or be mesmerized by its immensity via helicopter tour. It’s the antidote to that claustrophobic Covid-era feeling — a vast, borderless moonscape where you can roam wild and free.

— Shannon Sims

Bhutan  Copied to clipboard!

Cliff-top fortresses and rhododendron forests on a revived trekking trail read more.

Marcus Westberg

After two and a half years of pandemic isolation, Bhutan reopened in September with changes to its longstanding “high value, low volume” tourism policy. Visitors are no longer required to travel on package tours, but Bhutan’s mandatory “sustainable development fee” increased to $200 from $65 per day.

At the same time, the 250-mile Trans Bhutan Trail, a path used for centuries as a pilgrimage and communications route, reopened after a three-year restoration that mended suspension bridges, stone stairs and long-overgrown temples. The trail stretches east to west across nearly the entire country, passing through cities, villages, farmlands and wilderness. Depending on the route and time of year, trekkers might spy the snowcapped Himalayas, visit cliff-top fortresses, scale sacred mountain passes or pass through blooming rhododendron forests.

Official guides are required, and itineraries range from half a day to more than a month. Accommodations include guesthouses, home stays, luxury hotels and well-appointed campsites on each of the trail’s 28 sections. Proceeds from trips booked with Trans Bhutan Trail , the nonprofit that led the restoration, go toward trail maintenance, educational programs, guide training and other community causes.

— Sara Clemence

Kerala  Copied to clipboard!

Learn to climb a palm tree, visit a temple during an annual festival and get a sustainable taste of village life read more.

Poras Chaudhary for The New York Times

Kerala, India

We travel to immerse ourselves in other cultures, but some forms of community tourism put residents on display without offering benefits. Not so in Kerala — a southern Indian state celebrated for its beaches, backwater lagoons, cuisine and rich cultural traditions like the Vaikathashtami festival — where the government has adopted an award-winning approach that allows visitors to experience village life while supporting the communities that host them.

In Kumarakom, one of several “ responsible tourism destinations ” in the state, visitors can paddle through jungly canals, weave rope from coconut fiber and even learn to climb a palm tree. In Maravanthuruthu, visitors can follow a storytelling trail and enjoy village street art before taking in an evening performance of a traditional temple dance.

— Paige McClanahan

Greenville  Copied to clipboard!

South Carolina

Adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and on dinner plates downtown Read more

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Greenville, South Carolina

Set in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has established itself on the culinary scene. The quaint city of about 70,000 has more than 200 restaurants — 85 percent of which are local, without a tie to a national chain — in its strollable downtown area alone. Visitors may come for the access to outdoor adventures, but they’ll most likely leave having been introduced to flavors from around the world.

Even as the renowned Soby’s celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022 and two food festivals — euphoria and Fall for Greenville — attract tens of thousands of people annually, restaurants continue to crop up around the city. The second location of Charleston’s acclaimed Lewis Barbecue opened to long lines in September. Mr. Crisp , with Greg McPhee as executive chef, highlights seafood, especially its crisp-yet-tender hand-battered fish and chips. Keipi celebrates Georgian khachapuri and the country’s ancient wines; Aryana delivers a taste of Afghanistan; and Califas has brought Mexican birria tacos to Greenville.

“The real heartbeat of Greenville is a creative and diverse food community that keeps reinventing itself,” said Sid Evans, the editor in chief of Southern Living. “The food here is adventurous, and the chefs have embraced the global influences shaping the modern South.”

— Ari Bendersky

Tucson  Copied to clipboard!

A rebounding center of art and adobe with centuries-old ties to mexico read more.

John Burcham for The New York Times

Tucson, Arizona

Barrio Viejo, an area of more than 150 acres in Tucson, is the largest barrio in the United States and exemplifies Tucson’s connection to Mexico, with centuries-old Sonoran adobe architecture.

This year, the neighborhood, which has one of the most diverse racial, cultural, religious and ethnic populations in the country, will receive National Historic Landmark designation . Revival projects include the restoration of the 300-seat Teatro Carmen , built in 1915 and later converted into the Black Elks Club , and female-owned boutique hotels, like the Citizen in the former home of the Tucson Citizen newspaper and the Downtown Clifton in a once-faded motel.

Take the Tucson Origins Tour by Borderlandia , which specializes in tours of the U.S.-Mexico border area, for a deep dive into history. Then explore the famed Etherton Gallery and Andrew Smith Gallery , both in new spaces. Don’t forget Barrio restaurants like the local coffee drinkers’ favorite EXO Roast , housed in an 1885 adobe home, and the Coronet , which moved to the neighborhood in 2019.

— Daniel Scheffler

Martinique  Copied to clipboard!

Creole culture, giant ferns and hummingbirds that don’t back down from a staring contest read more.

Martinique,

While travel was frozen in 2020, Martinique celebrated the induction of its traditional yole sailboat — a lightweight craft kept upright by crew members, who use their body weight as ballast by sitting on poles that extend over the sides of the hulls — on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. In the fall of 2021, the entire island was named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve , recognizing the destination’s commitment to sustainable economic and social development.

Islanders are awaiting yet another decision from UNESCO, which they hope will name the nearly 4,600-foot volcano Mount Pelée and the Pitons du Carbet range to the World Heritage List. The region represents “the diversity of Martinique,” said Alex Dobat, who owns Natiyabel , a scuba diving and hiking outfitter (whose name means “nature is beautiful” in Creole), who described ferns the size of trees, wild begonias and hummingbirds “staring at you quietly.”

Tourism officials are counting on the UNESCO certifications to attract ecotourists to its peaks, rainforests, reefs and Creole culture.

— Elaine Glusac

The Namib Desert  Copied to clipboard!

Southern Africa

1,000-foot dunes and crashing waves along a nearly uninhabited coastline Read more

The Namib Desert, Southern Africa

Along the desolate coast of Namibia, 1,000-foot-tall sand dunes descend into the sea. During low tide, intrepid adventurers can drive along the beach, past towering yellow dunes on one side and the South Atlantic’s churning waters on the other. This is the Namib, the world’s oldest desert, and the perfect place for a long road trip . After almost three years of Covid-19 restrictions, it’s hard to imagine a place where you can feel more free.

“Namib” means “vast place” in Khoekhoegowab, a language spoken in many parts of Namibia. It’s astonishingly easy to get lost in this almost entirely uninhabited expanse of sand, where you might travel for days without seeing another human being.

In the Namib-Naukluft National Park, travelers can go back in time at the Deadvlei, where 600-year-old trees stand eerily lifeless, preserved by the dry air; challenge themselves to climb the 100-story Big Daddy Dune; observe desert-adapted wildlife like oryx and springbok; and even see mysterious fairy circles .

— Jen Guyton

The Alaska Railroad  Copied to clipboard!

470 miles of mountains, glaciers and grizzlies from the comfort of a glass dome read more.

Christopher Miller for The New York Times

The Alaska Railroad,

Since 1923, the Alaska Railroad — the last railroad in the United States to carry both people and freight — has connected millions of passengers and trade goods over 470 miles of track, from Seward to Fairbanks. This year is the centennial of its operation and a celebration is planned in Nenana, where President Warren G. Harding drove in the golden spike on July 15, 1923, completing the railroad.

Operational well before Alaska became a state, in 1959, the railroad is an environmentally friendly way for passengers to see wilderness, and even the aurora borealis, without sacrificing comfort: Glass-domed rail cars make viewing easy. It is also the only remaining flag-stop major railroad in the country. Passengers can wave a flag to embark or disembark, gaining access to more remote locations, including harder-to-reach areas of the Chugach National Forest, through a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.

Sights along the way include Denali, North America’s tallest peak, and Kenai Fjords National Park. History buffs can view a special exhibit at the Anchorage Museum that runs from May to February 2024, chronicling the railroad’s history.

— Charu Suri

Fukuoka  Copied to clipboard!

Savoring an endangered street-food tradition on the often overlooked island of kyushu read more.

Fukuoka, Japan

Fukuoka, a subtropical city perched on the northern shore of Kyushu, is one of the few remaining places in Japan where you will see rows of yatai — open-air street-food stalls resembling boxes of neon light. Many sell traditional foods like ramen, yakitori and oden, but if you stroll along the riverfront on Nakasu, a small island that is Fukuoka’s red-light district, you’ll find some diversity with wine, coffee, and even French sausages and garlic toast.

Yatai were a common sight across Japan in the 1950s, but during the 1964 Summer Olympics, the authorities had them removed to project an image of economic recovery. In the present, Fukuoka is the only city left that’s fighting this bureaucracy. The government has acknowledged the cultural significance of yatai by increasing the safety and quality of the food and by offering more licenses in 2022. Even so, the number of yatai has fallen drastically to around 100 stalls today from more than 400 in the ’60s. Pull up a seat while you can and enjoy rubbing shoulders with strangers over supper again.

— Harvard Wang

Flores  Copied to clipboard!

An island paradise where crater lakes change color and nine-foot dragons roam read more.

Lauryn Ishak for The New York Times

Flores, Indonesia

The term “fairy-tale getaway” is overused, but what else do you call a far-off, unspoiled, Southeast Asian island with nine-foot Komodo dragons, active volcanoes, white-sand beaches, coral gardens, rushing waterfalls and color-shifting crater lakes reputed to house departed spirits?

Such are the allures of Flores, one of the roughly 17,500 islands of the Republic of Indonesia. An hour’s flight from Bali and far less visited, Flores may be seeing more visitors with the scheduled opening late this year of Kodi Bajo , a luxury resort in the fishing town of Labuan Bajo. Operated by the group behind the NIHI hotel on Sumba, a nearby Indonesian island, Kodi Bajo will offer sumptuous hillside accommodations and views of the nearby Komodo National Park archipelago — the only place in the world inhabited by the famous giant lizards.

— Seth Sherwood

Guadalajara  Copied to clipboard!

Celebrating queer culture’s diversity and l.g.b.t.q. athletes from around the globe read more.

Adrian Wilson for The New York Times

Guadalajara, Mexico

Travel has always been a way to experience diversity, and in 2023 you’ll find a variety of sexual expression and shifts in traditional gender roles in Jalisco’s capital. This fall, the city will co-host (with Hong Kong) the 11th annual Gay Games . Athletes from around the world — of varying ages, sexual orientations and levels of athletic experience — will participate in 20 sports.

The city is also home to the annual Prohibido festival , during which an abandoned theater is transformed into a celebration of sexual diversity through art installations, interactive experiences, live music and talks about polyamorous and nonbinary culture. In Guadalajara, too, women take on nontraditional performance roles. On most nights, you can hear one of almost a dozen female mariachi bands from the area at Hotel Riu Plaza Guadalajara or El Patio, a restaurant. There are also local performances by female cowboys, known as escaramuzas, who present their choreography on horseback.

The city is considered by some to be Mexico’s drag capital, with numerous performers and shows. Guadalajara has also developed “antiturista” maps, including one for L.G.B.T.Q. travelers, that provide a local’s perspective on places to see and stay.

— Maggie Jones

Tassili n’Ajjer  Copied to clipboard!

Rock art, sandstone pillars and a glimpse at a lost saharan history read more.

Tassili n’Ajjer, Algeria

Often overshadowed by its neighbor, the tourism giant Morocco, Algeria — a stone’s throw from Mediterranean Europe and a mere three-hour flight from London — has recently relaxed its visa policies, allowing for much easier exploration of the country. While most visitors tend to stick to the coastal north, which contains some of the region’s best preserved Roman ruins, Africa’s largest country also contains its largest national park.

Virtually unknown to the outside world, Tassili n’Ajjer is eight times the size of Yellowstone. At the heart of the vast landscape of Saharan sand and stone lie the deep red dunes and pillars of Tadrart Rouge. Accessible only by a four-wheel-drive vehicle, this astonishingly striking national park is home to thousands of ancient works of rock art, stretching back to when the desert was a thriving savanna, as well as to a very much living nomadic Tuareg culture.

— Marcus Westberg

Kakheti  Copied to clipboard!

New flavors and ancient winemaking traditions in tiny hilltop towns and green valleys read more.

Irma Laghadze

Kakheti, Georgia

The mountainous nation of Georgia’s 8,000-year-old winemaking tradition is at the center of several new trends in the wine world, including skin-contact (a.k.a. orange ) wines, amphora fermentation and charismatic grape varieties like saperavi. As a result, Georgian wine exports to the United States recently topped one million bottles and are growing at almost 29 percent annually, as Wine Enthusiast recently reported .

For wine lovers, a tasting trip to estates like Vazisubani and Kardanakhi in Kakheti offers a chance to discover new wines in a landscape of tiny hilltop towns and verdant valleys framed by the Caucasus. Many wines are made in traditional pointed qvevri clay vessels that are buried in the earth.

To complement the experience, local chefs have started offering cooking classes where gastronomes can learn how to make the meaty dumplings known as khinkali and other dishes from what Saveur magazine called “Europe’s great unsung cuisine.”

— Evan Rail

Nîmes  Copied to clipboard!

A sunny mediterranean morsel whose charming streets are studded with roman monuments read more.

Joann Pai for The New York Times

Nîmes, France

Nîmes is that rarest of Gallic delicacies — a sunny southern French city with great charm and fascinating architecture and museums that hasn’t yet become thronged with tourists like Arles or Avignon.

The city has a growing word-of-mouth reputation for the excellence of its dining options, which include everything from Michelin two-star restaurants like the chef Pierre Gagnaire’s Duende at the recently renovated Hotel Imperator to exceptionally good lunchtime dining in Les Halles de Nîmes, a covered food market, where the Halles Auberge and La Pie Qui Couette offer first-come first-serve counter service at noon. The latest local buzz is about the chef Georgiana Viou, originally from Benin, who serves up her personal and very delicate Afro-Provençal cooking at Rouge , the restaurant of the elegant new 10-room Margaret-Hôtel Chouleur in a landmarked mansion in the heart of the Écusson, or Old City. Le Coin and Menna, two excellent cosmopolitan modern French bistros — a type of restaurant that’s new to Nîmes — are not far away.

Shed some calories after a meal by taking in the sights of the Rome of France, a sobriquet explained by the most spectacular collection of Roman monuments in Europe outside of Italy.

— Alexander Lobrano

Ha Giang  Copied to clipboard!

A two-wheeled thrill ride leads to mountainside settlements where hmong and tay culture lives read more.

Ha Giang, Vietnam

The several-day loop by motorbike through the Ha Giang highlands in northern Vietnam is not for the timid. Getting to the city of Ha Giang takes six hours by road from Hanoi, and the loop’s steep roads, serpentine passes and recurring switchbacks can make the journey both treacherous and exhilarating.

This remote tableau of soaring peaks and cavernous valleys inspires a deep connection to the landscape and its inhabitants. Veer off the main road onto the narrow ribbons of concrete streaking the mountainsides and into the Hmong and Tay settlements dotting the hillsides and hollows. To learn more about their cultures, you can hire a guide from QT Motorbikes and Tours .

Road improvement projects and new high-end accommodations have made the loop more accessible and inviting. Don’t miss a boat ride through the canyon on the emerald river at Ma Pi Leng Pass.

— Patrick Scott

Salalah  Copied to clipboard!

A historic frankincense-trading center where the desert erupts in waterfalls read more.

Salalah, Oman

With last year’s World Cup drawing attention to the built environment elsewhere in the Persian Gulf states, seaside Salalah, Oman, offers visitors a chance to see the region’s natural beauty. Depending on when you go, the area is either lush and green and blanketed in thick fog, or basking in sunlight and a warm breeze.

During the khareef (monsoon), the valleys and riverbeds are flooded with fresh water, and the mountains flow with waterfalls. The city is also home to Al Baleed Archaeological Park and the Museum of the Frankincense Land , which provides a visual history of the ancient incense trade and the associated export routes to the rest of the world. (A nearby collection of sites, known as the Land of Frankincense , is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.) Another draw is the collection of historical ports spread along the coast.

The population of Salalah, one of Oman’s largest cities, is around 330,000, so it’s easy to find oneself alone in the crystal clear waters of the area’s many tranquil beaches, including Mugsail, Fazayah and Haffa.

— Noa Avishag Schnall

Cuba  Copied to clipboard!

An island of music and white-sand beaches ripe for rediscovery as the united states eases travel restrictions read more.

Robert Rausch for The New York Times

With its sea-sprayed, pastel facades, white-sand beaches and tobacco-rich valleys, Cuba sits tantalizingly close to the United States, though it often feels out of reach — especially in recent years, when the Trump administration reinstated strict rules for American citizens hoping to visit.

But a confluence of factors just made travel to the island nation a bit easier. Last spring, President Biden relaxed many of the restrictions imposed by his predecessor. And in November, American Airlines resumed flights beyond Havana, adding departures to the beach town Varadero and the interior city Santa Clara, a regional capital steeped in revolutionary history. More flights from other carriers are set to begin in the coming months.

Cuba’s people are as generous with their stories — of history, family, even politics and protest — as they are with their music, an omnipresent, joyful soundtrack thrumming through the island’s cities and towns. Less than two years after historic protests were met with harsh repression, and as the country rebuilds from Hurricane Ian, travel to Cuba and support of its people may never be more valuable.

— Lauren Prestileo

Odense  Copied to clipboard!

A mystical new museum and garden with all you need to write your own fairy tale read more.

Andreas Meichsner for The New York Times

Odense, Denmark

Designed by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma & Associates, the new Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Odense, on the island of Funen, is more than a museum. It’s a mystical land, featuring labyrinthine gardens that double as a public park.

The museum explores Andersen’s literary interplay between real and imaginary: You can gaze up at the sky through a glass dome and feel like the Little Mermaid; roam sunken courtyards, illuminated by sunlight splintering through trees; and engage with exhibits by contemporary artists in cylindrical spaces wrapped in latticed timber that suggest the city’s traditional thatched-roof houses. The museum is as much about telling stories as it is about imagining your own: Creativity is encouraged at the magical Ville Vau children’s center, where children can paint, draw, write and play dress-up amid colorful scenes from Andersen’s fairy tales.

Time your visit with Odense’s summertime H.C. Andersen Festivals , and then find artistic inspiration, as Andersen did, by venturing across his home island of Funen, the “garden of Denmark,” with its storybook castles (the moated Egeskov is the stuff of dreams), heather-coated hillsides and misty coastline.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park  Copied to clipboard!

The shape-shifting sandstone heart of a continent and its indigenous heritage read more.

Matthew Abbott for The New York Times

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia

At Uluru, time stretches, dissolves. Over 500 million years old, the 1,142-foot sandstone monolith in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a shape-shifter: aflame in pink, orange and violet through the day; its crevices gush with the rain, its surroundings erupt with wildflowers.

Now, Uluru is a symbol of urgency. In 2017, it was the site of the Uluru Statement From the Heart , which calls for an Indigenous “voice to Parliament” to be enshrined in Australia’s Constitution. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced there would be a national referendum on the issue in 2023.

Uluru is sacred to the Anangu people, who protect and manage the land, and for decades tourists climbed the rock against their wishes. Climbing was banned in 2019, and now visitors can take a 5.8-mile walk around Uluru’s base to experience its splendor. The ban was a rare victory for Indigenous rights and cultural respect, and evidence that even deep-rooted attitudes can change.

— Tacey Rychter

Boquete  Copied to clipboard!

A slope-side nirvana for coffee geeks, waterfall hikers and white-water rafters read more.

Paul Castillero

Boquete, Panama

Geisha, among the world’s most expensive coffee varietals, thrives on the slopes of the Barú Volcano, near Panama’s western border. In recent years, specialty coffee geeks the world over have gravitated here, encouraging coffee farms around the highland town of Boquete to act more like Bordeaux vineyards. New cupping rooms and bodega tours have been added at farms like Lamastus Family Estates , Chevas Coffee Estate and Finca Altieri , while coffee-themed hotels — including Finca Lérida and Panamonte — have updated their facilities.

In Boquete’s town center, which acts as a base for adventure activities like waterfall hikes and white-water rafting, the noted Panama City chef Mario Castrellón has opened a branch of the coffee roaster Café Unido , as well as a restaurant and bar with seasonal menus and Geisha-infused cocktails, in the new Selina hostel . The bold, 60-room property straddles a small river, with rooms ranging from beds in concrete cylinders to luxe suites.

— Nicholas Gill

Tarragona  Copied to clipboard!

An unsung artsy seaport rich in well-preserved roman ruins, and delicious tapas read more.

Tarragona, Spain

Long upstaged by the flash of Barcelona, this unsung waterfront city on the Costa Daurada is a culturally rich alternative, with thriving Catalan traditions, from the famous castells (human towers, formed by people standing on one another’s shoulders) to earthy Romesco sauce, often served with grilled fish and vegetables, and best enjoyed in El Serrallo, a maritime neighborhood.

But what elevates the Tarragona experience is the past: This is one of the oldest Roman settlements in the Iberian Peninsula. The impressively preserved Tarraco ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, transform the city into an open-air museum, from the mighty Roman walls to the amphitheater framed by the Mediterranean.

Against this ancient backdrop, the city is in the midst of change: a revitalized port, new low-cost fast trains to the region and a growing contemporary arts scene. Perhaps the best way to savor it is to partake in a paseo: Stroll the Rambla Nova, grazing on tapas along the way, to the aptly named Balcó del Mediterrani observation point, where touching the iron railing is said to bring good luck.

Charleston  Copied to clipboard!

A powerful space will examine a city’s past and honor the african american legacy read more, charleston, south carolina.

Charleston’s brutal history of slavery can be overshadowed by a romanticized portrait of a city with charm, award-winning restaurants and plantation gardens. The planned opening of the $100 million International African American Museum this year will help comprehensively display the city’s complicated past.

The I.A.A.M. occupies the former Gadsden’s Wharf, where an estimated 30,000 African captives landed during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, more than at any other site. The sleek, single-story building floats atop 18 pillars clad in tabby, a kind of concrete made from oyster shells, and houses a genealogy center, a social justice action lab and 10 exhibit galleries that include stories of slavery and the Great Migration. A public outdoor space offers an African Ancestors Memorial Garden featuring indigenous plants like Lowcountry sweet grass and Canary Island palm trees.

This spring, the Charleston tourism board will debut a comprehensive guide to Black-owned businesses to elevate the overlooked successes of creative locals.

— Lauren Matison

Cayos Cochinos  Copied to clipboard!

Planting coral and counting sea turtles where there are no cars or roads read more.

Cayos Cochinos, Honduras

Off the northern coast of Honduras, the Cayos Cochinos archipelago, part of a marine preserve where commercial fishing is banned, encompasses about 300,000 acres, two main islands and 13 small cays, with a collective population of about 200 Indigenous Garifuna residents.

Before the pandemic, the nonprofit Cayos Cochinos Foundation, which manages the reserve, derived much of its funding to study and protect its biodiversity from the fees paid by day-trippers to snorkel there. Now, the nongovernmental organization is gently opening itself to tourism, allowing visitors to stay in basic cabins (from $45 a night) that previously hosted exclusively scientists.

Between scuba dives and hikes to see pink boa constrictors and black-chested spiny-tailed iguanas, travelers can volunteer to propagate new coral or count sea turtles. Travel to the islands, which are roadless and free of cars, also supports the Garifuna community, which offers guide services, restaurants and tastings of the local root-infused spirit, guifiti.

Burgundy Beer Trail  Copied to clipboard!

Paying homage to hops and yeast in a region where wine has long reigned read more.

Burgundy Beer Trail, France

Wine lovers have long revered the great vintages of Burgundy. Now, beer lovers have their eyes on the Burgundy region, following the arrival of head-turning new breweries like Ammonite , Vif , Independent House and 90 BPM , all within 90 minutes of one another, and all rated among the best in France by fans on sites like Untappd and RateBeer .

Winemaking influences these new brewers, some of which employ solera barrel systems (like those used to age and blend sherry and Madeira wines), natural yeast, small oak barrels and other tools and techniques most often used by vintners.

For years, France has been a laggard in the global craft beer revolution, running far behind neighboring countries like Spain and Italy. The emerging beer trail in Burgundy’s wine region shows how France might soon develop an enviable beer culture of its own.

Istanbul  Copied to clipboard!

Reviving a city’s historic architecture just in time for modern turkey’s centennial read more.

Maria Mavropoulou for The New York Times

This October, the Turkish Republic celebrates its 100th anniversary, and to mark the occasion, Istanbul’s local government has invested millions in giving historic structures new life.

Among them: Feshane, a factory that manufactured the iconic Turkish hats and one of Istanbul’s first steel buildings, will become one of its largest art centers; west of the old city, a comprehensive restoration of the stone-and-brick Mevlanakapi city walls with their 22 towers dating back to the fifth century, will transform them into a four-and-a-half-mile walking path; and the Botter Apartment, one of Istanbul’s earliest Art Nouveau buildings, whose bottom floor was originally a studio for the sultan’s private tailor, will be turned into a fashion design center.

There’s more. Art museums are planned for the former Yedikule gasworks and the Halic Shipyard, one of the world’s oldest still in operation. And most notably, the newly built Istanbul Modern museum, designed by the architect Renzo Piano, will open its doors along the Bosporus in Karakoy, showcasing the works of notable Turkish artists such as Fahrelnissa Zeid and Erol Akyavas.

— Nora Walsh

Taipei  Copied to clipboard!

Floating sky lanterns and soaring skyscrapers in a sprawling, thrumming capital read more.

Taipei, Taiwan

Taipei is a glorious assault on the senses, a capital with stunning natural beauty, low crime, and clear air despite its immense urban sprawl. From its neon-lit night markets to its Qing Dynasty temples, visitors can feel the quiet drum of independent pride, however fragile its future.

Beijing, which sees self-ruled Taiwan as an unruly child, continues to assert its desire to reunify with Taiwan and put the island firmly back under its control. But for now, a visit to this city offers a riot of culinary and cultural pleasures. In 2023, the island’s third-tallest skyscraper will open, and the Taiwan Lantern Festival , a beloved tradition in which thousands of glowing lanterns float skyward in tandem, will return to Taipei after more than two decades.

Taipei’s future is uncertain. But in 2023, it remains an ideal place to gape at the sheer power of human innovation.

— Debra Kamin

El Poblado  Copied to clipboard!

Medellín, Colombia

A chic shopping district, pulsing nightlife and rainbow-colored macaws Read more

Federico Rios for The New York Times

El Poblado, Medellín, Colombia

In the 1600s, Spanish settlers established El Poblado, “the village,” along the Medellín River. Eventually, the larger city of Medellín grew to the north, and El Poblado became a rural getaway for wealthy Colombians.

Today, it is once again a center of activity. The grid of two- or three-story homes has blossomed with shops and restaurants, interspersed with boutique hotels rising above the treetops. Nearby, gushing waterfalls and rainbow-colored macaws add to the lush tropical vibe.

An afternoon roaming the neighborhood, popping into Mon y Velarde for menswear or Makeno for artisanal home goods, followed by coffee at Pergamino or modern Colombian cuisine at Oci.Mde , is a worthy entry on any South American traveler’s bucket list. Stay out late enough to see the area transform into the pulsing heart of the city’s nightlife, with D.J.s on the rooftops and dance parties in the streets.

Lausanne  Copied to clipboard!

Switzerland

Spectacular views of Lake Geneva and an exploding architectural and artistic scene Read more

Clara Tuma for The New York Times

Lausanne, Switzerland

Already blessed with a sublime Lake Geneva location and dramatic mountain views, Lausanne, Switzerland’s fourth-largest city, has been adding architectural and artistic beauty to its repertoire as well.

Known as Plateform 10 , the city’s three-year-old arts district recently inaugurated a bold new building that resembles an artfully cracked block of white stone for a pair of museums. Photo Elysée is dedicated to exhibiting photography in all its forms, while MUDAC is a haven of five creative outlets: design, glasswork, ceramics, jewelry and graphic art. The two institutions join the new home of the city’s international art museum, the Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts , which moved into its ridged, rectangular building in 2019.

Methana  Copied to clipboard!

A hike, a stroll or a run into the bronze age followed by a soak in an ancient tub read more.

Methana, Greece

Athens’s nearest active volcano, Methana, sits on a peninsula of the same name some 30 miles southwest of the Greek capital. Though largely unknown to tourists, the area is slowly evolving, in part because of its increasing popularity as a hiking destination.

In recent years, groups of locals have managed to reopen and map old walking paths, some of which date back to the Mycenaean Era, creating hiking trails that attract visitors from around the world. (So far, more than 18 miles have been cleared and marked.) The Methana Volcano Challenge , first organized in 2021, offers a trail run across the peninsula’s sloping landscape.

Visitors to this volcanic peninsula can also enjoy several hot springs, the most interesting of which is an ancient (and recently renovated) tub known as the Pausanias Baths near the village of Agios Nikolaos.

— Demetrios Ioannou

Louisville  Copied to clipboard!

A rising l.g.b.t.q. scene with quilts, drag shows, the derby and, of course, bourbon read more, louisville, kentucky.

One of the oldest cities west of the Appalachian Mountains, and arguably among the most beautiful, Louisville somehow flies under the radar. This despite its graceful 19th-century park system , designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and its bourbon-fueled convivial spirit.

Today, its L.G.B.T.Q. scene is also thriving, with hot spots like Chill Bar and Play Dance Bar , which hosts regular drag nights featuring touring artists. (The city has also earned top marks from the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index for seven years running and is home to two new L.G.B.T.Q. community centers.) This spring brings Hotel Genevieve , from the Texas-based Bunkhouse Group, which offers Louisville-inspired touches like décor that pays homage to the city’s rich quilting heritage, an on-site market selling work from local artists and bourbon selections from neighboring Rabbit Hole Distillery .

Make plans for 2023, because the city might not stay below the radar much longer: 2024 will draw the masses for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby.

— Paul L. Underwood

Manaus  Copied to clipboard!

River-to-table cuisine and ancestral recipes in the heart of the amazon read more.

Manaus, Brazil

Michelin-starred restaurants in São Paulo use Amazonian ingredients to appear exotic, but in Manaus, where you can sip steamy gourds of tacacá from a stand in front of the Teatro Amazonas or wander past plastic bottles of tucupi, the juice squeezed from grated cassava, in Adolpho Lisboa Municipal Market, Amazonian ingredients are a fact of life.

At the Indigenous-owned Biatüwi , a restaurant that pays homage to ancestral recipes and cooking techniques, drinks are made from fermented purple yams, and chiles are used to purify river fish in piquant stews like quinhampira.

Then there’s the chef Felipe Schaedler, who has helped threatened Yanomami communities commercialize their native mushrooms and runs two restaurants of his own: Banzeiro and Moquém do Banzeiro . Steering away from traditional preparations, Mr. Schaedler reimagines ingredients like lemon-grass-flavored ants and tambaqui ribs in a modern format, as do the bistros Caxiri , set in a colonial building overlooking Largo de São Sebastião, a grand plaza, and Fitz Carraldo, in the boutique hotel Villa Amazonia .

Vilnius  Copied to clipboard!

A 700-year-old survivor ready to party like there’s no tomorrow read more.

Gordon Welters for The New York Times

Vilnius, Lithuania

Lithuania’s cobblestoned capital has a long history of bootstrap survival. Occupied once by the Nazis and twice by the Soviets, Vilnius has a story that is complex and fascinating to explore. Its architectural riches span from Gothic to Renaissance to Baroque; grand churches rub shoulders with quaint timber homes on leafy streets.

In 2023, the resilient city celebrates its 700th birthday with a full year of revelry. A light festival , free music performances and the first Vilnius International Biennial are all on the calendar. Artificial intelligence will resurrect one of the city’s first operas from the 17th century, and an exhibition space will allow visitors to virtually explore Vilnius’s streets as they looked more than 200 years ago.

Ringing in its eighth century, Vilnius reminds travelers that, when viewed through the long lens of history, our own uncertain times are fleeting.

Macon  Copied to clipboard!

1,100-year-old native american mounds and deep rock ’n’ roll roots read more.

Macon, Georgia

The area around Macon has been home to multiple Native American tribes for 12,000 years. That history will be acknowledged this year, when Georgia is expected to get its first national park: The Ocmulgee Mounds, some of the most significant prehistoric Indigenous mounds in North America, date to the year 900, and are now a national historical park .

The national park will include the Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge , for a total of 50,000 acres, and offer a network of exquisite hiking trails and artifacts from American Indian culture. Management will be shared by the Muscogee Nation and the National Park Service.

Additionally, the city, whose musical roots run deep — Little Richard, the Allman Brothers and Otis Redding all got their start here — is celebrating its 200th anniversary with a new 10,000-seat amphitheater . Visitors can check out the Hotel Forty Five , a boutique hotel that opened downtown last year and that was named both for the angle of the street on which it sits and as a nod to musical history.

— Ondine Cohane

Madrid  Copied to clipboard!

Kicking off a worldwide tribute to picasso in a place that’s a masterpiece unto itself read more.

Emilio Parra Doiztua for The New York Times

If art is a universal language, as travel often reveals, Pablo Picasso’s antiwar “ Guernica ” may be one of its most potent symbols.

The Spanish and French governments recently announced the Picasso Celebration 1973-2023 in front of the famous painting at the Reina Sofia museum, kicking off a transnational commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the artist’s death. The worldwide tribute, from Madrid to Paris to New York City, includes some 50 exhibitions, many of which explore the artist through the lens of the present day. Madrid leads the way, with tributes throughout the year, including “Picasso. The Sacred and the Profane” at the Thyssen-Bornemisza ; “Picasso 1906. The Turning Point” at the Reina Sofia ; and an exhibition exploring Picasso and El Greco at the Prado .

During Picasso’s anniversary year, it’s worth noting that the city’s artistry isn’t just within its museums, but outside as well: Madrid’s cultural core is an urban masterpiece of art, nature and light, and in 2021, the entire area of the Paseo del Prado and verdant Parque del Buen Retiro, called “Landscape of Light,” was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Grand Junction  Copied to clipboard!

A bonanza of canyons, arches and cliffs, without the hordes of tourists read more.

Grand Junction, Colorado

On Colorado’s Western Slope, arid Grand Junction offers attractions similar to those of Moab, Utah, the gateway to Arches National Park, without the throngs.

The area around the Colorado alternative has the second-largest concentration of natural arches in the country in Rattlesnake Canyon, where some 35 sandstone spans are part of the roughly 123,700-acre McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area , reachable via off-road vehicle or a strenuous 14-mile round-trip trek. More convenient hiking trails in the Colorado National Monument — where geologic uplift and erosion formed monoliths of the same Entrada sandstone found at Arches — lie within about 10 minutes of town.

The 2021 opening of the Palisade Plunge adds a 32-mile descent — from the world’s largest flat-topped mountain, 10,000-foot Grand Mesa, down to the Colorado River — to the area’s biking challenges. All trails lead back to downtown Grand Junction, filled with shops, craft breweries, locavore restaurants and wine-tasting rooms from area vineyards.

La Guajira  Copied to clipboard!

An unspoiled land of orange-sand beaches and flamingo-lined lagoons read more.

La Guajira, Colombia

The remote and arid La Guajira peninsula, straddling Colombia’s border with Venezuela, remains largely unknown to international tourists — in spite of its dramatic salt flats, flamingo-lined lagoons and orange-sand beaches.

Terrorist activity made this area mostly off limits until 2016, but eco-minded hotels, including La Casa del Pavo Real and Hotel Waya Guajira , have spread along the peninsula, relying on increased flights to Riohacha, the regional capital, and nearby Santa Marta.

This region is the home of the Indigenous Wayúu people, who have expressed concerns that giant development projects may irreparably alter their ancestral lands. Tour operators visit Wayúu weavers known for their chinchorros, the colorful hammocks that take months to make, and their rustic kitchens, where cooks like Zaida Cotes showcase traditional cuisine based on salted fish, goat meat and purple corn.

Bergamo and Brescia  Copied to clipboard!

Open-air theater, art, music and a plateful of local delicacies in a cultural crossroads read more.

Andrea Wyner for The New York Times

Bergamo and Brescia, Italy

Milan may outshine Bergamo and Brescia , but in 2023 a spotlight will fall on these two Lombardy cities after they were jointly named the Italian Capital of Culture . More than 100 art projects, music and theater events (some open-air), nature walks and new bike routes are ​meant to map a way forward after the tragic headlines this northern region generated in 2020, when it was more ravaged by the coronavirus than anyplace else in Italy.

Bergamo is distinctive for its ancient, walled Città Alta (Upper Town) and modern Città Bassa (Lower Town), the two connected by ​narrow roads, a funicular and a footpath. Brescia, around 30 miles southeast , is a handsome crossroads of Roman, medieval and Renaissance sites .

Outstanding food is another draw — it’s Italy, after all — with menus in both areas featuring creamy, nutty polenta taragna and variously stuffed crescents of casoncelli swirled with butter and sage — little pasta miracles that prove how good life can still be.

— Julie Besonen

American Prairie  Copied to clipboard!

A vast, and growing, swath of nature where you can still feel tiny read more.

Janie Osborne

American Prairie, Montana

With its wide-open skies and boundless horizons, American Prairie is ideal for visitors seeking a respite from the fast pace of modern life. A vast nature preserve founded by a Montana nonprofit, A.P. has been accumulating grasslands since 2004. It currently consists of 455,840 acres — and the preserve continues to expand by acquiring private properties that connect to surrounding public lands. The goal: to create a contiguous, three-million-acre reserve and restore a disappearing ecosystem.

A.P. offers a broad range of activities, including leisurely walks, cross-country skiing and expert-level hiking, biking and paddling. Paved roads lead to Antelope Creek Campground, which features an interpretive trail and distant views of the Little Rockies. Buffalo Camp, accessible by gravel roads and situated among the reserve’s largest bison herd, is a little farther off the beaten path and provides a chance to see a buffalo jump, a cliff traditionally used by Indigenous peoples to harvest bison.

— Janie Osborne

Eastern Townships  Copied to clipboard!

A leisurely journey through the countryside with stops for wine, cheese and poutine read more.

Eastern Townships, Quebec

This is slow travel at its best: Pedal across the quiet Quebec countryside, refueling on local cheese, wine and, yes, poutine. Montreal and Quebec City are the stars of the region, but the bucolic, lake-laced terrain between them is often relegated to fleeting glimpses from the windows of a rental car.

The Eastern Townships — Canada’s New England, with French flair — deserves a visit all its own, and especially now, with the recent debut of the Véloroute Gourmande . The 150-mile cycle route traces the Route Verte and Trans Canada Trail across this charming region dotted with flower-festooned villages, and features more than 100 epicurean stops along the way, from farmers’ markets to maple groves to fromageries to vineyards.

Try the lush, sweet vin de glace (ice wine), made from ripe grapes that have frozen naturally on the vine, at Le Cep d’Argent , and the buttery Brise des Vignerons at the family-run Fromagerie des Cantons , one of the first in the area to develop cheese exclusively from Jersey cows, a nod to the region’s British influences.

New Haven  Copied to clipboard!

Connecticut

A home to tinkerers and rebels, and a treasure trove of contemporary art and architecture Read more

New haven, connecticut.

Connecticut’s third-largest city is a historic, mostly walkable and bikeable seaside town with distinctive neighborhoods, an encyclopedic collection of great American architecture, a thriving cultural life and one of the best food scenes in the country for a city of its size (134,000).

Founded in 1638, it’s a place where people have always tinkered with, mused about and challenged the status quo, which is why the New Haven Preservation Trust is now looking at saving the modernist buildings of the 1970s, which many see as disastrous examples of urban renewal. Discover one of the best of these brutalist concrete buildings by checking into the new Hotel Marcel , named for its architect, Marcel Breuer. Recently renovated, it’s become the first completely solar-powered, energy-neutral hotel in the United States.

Check out NXTHVN , a cutting-edge, community-focused arts center founded in 2019 in two abandoned factory buildings in the Dixwell neighborhood that has become the heart of a vibrant African American artists’ community. And then treat yourself to a great meal — maybe crispy artichokes with Parmesan aioli and pork belly with Tuscan cabbage and apple mostarda — at the recently opened Villa Lulu .

The Black Hills  Copied to clipboard!

South Dakota

Pine forests, powwows and a climb up to Crazy Horse’s giant granite face Read more

Benjamin Rasmussen

The Black Hills, South Dakota

The Lakota people trace their creation to the He Sapa, or Black Hills, a mountain range of dramatic peaks and pine forests in an area that is South Dakota’s chief tourism attraction.

Now, representatives of all nine tribes in the state — working as the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance — are having a say in how to experience Native American sites with the publication of a new tribal nations’ visitors guide , including destination suggestions and tips on visitor etiquette. The assembly helped identify the Great 8 , eight sites and experiences — among them powwows, or dance celebrations — that are significant to Indigenous culture, with a concentration in the Black Hills. These include Bear Butte State Park where hiking trails may lead past prayer cloths tied to trees, 7,244-foot Black Elk Peak, the state’s highest, and the Crazy Horse Memorial .

The massive sculpture of the Lakota warrior turns 75 next summer, when the biannual Volksmarch will allow hikers to ascend the carving, still under construction, and stand beneath Crazy Horse’s more than 87-foot-tall granite face.

Sarajevo  Copied to clipboard!

Bosnia and Herzegovina

A living museum of resilience where empires and cultures have long intersected Read more

Todd Heisler/The New York Times

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevo’s history lives in the present. There is the Latin Bridge, where a certain archduke was assassinated, catalyzing World War I. There are buildings still pockmarked by shells from the siege three decades ago. And there is the intricate interplay of empires, from the Ottoman to the Austro-Hungarian, that allows visitors to tour a mosque, a cathedral, an Orthodox church and a synagogue all within a few blocks.

These layers of history, of course, can detonate as easily as they can coexist. Bosnia’s multiethnic capital remains on edge. Look up to the hills, and there are the artillery positions built on the grounds of the 1984 Winter Olympics. But Sarajevo’s splendor comes from this intrusion of the past. It remains a living museum that hints at how a Ukraine or a Syria cannot only survive but perhaps one day flourish anew.

— Hannah Beech

Design and Production

Sean Catangui and Gabriel Gianordoli

Danial Adkison, Stephen Hiltner, Suzanne MacNeille, Morrigan McCarthy, Fiona Murray, Nancy Ramsey, Tacey Rychter and Amy Virshup

Photo Editing

Phaedra Brown

Baden Copeland

Corrections

A photograph with an earlier version of this article misidentified the city shown in the image. The photograph depicted the province of Tarragona, Spain, not the city itself. The image has been replaced.

The article also misstated the size of the Barrio Viejo neighborhood of Tucson, Ariz. It is more than 150 acres, not 150 blocks.

A photograph with an earlier version of this article misidentified the location in the image. It is Keelung, Taiwan, not Taipei.

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Where to Go in 2023: The Most Exciting Destinations to Explore This Year

Our writers and editors rounded up 10 must-visit spots

As we move into the new year, many of us are starting to think about our travel plans for 2023. While 2022 was a year of slow re-opening, travel opportunities for 2023 feel limitless, as old favorites (Japan, anyone?) have finally re-opened, and new frontiers await. Whether you're looking for a relaxing beach vacation, an exciting city break, or an opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture, there are plenty of options from which to choose.

Some of the destinations on our 2023 list may seem overly familiar, we know—Rome? Tulum? Sydney?—but we promise that each has exciting new developments and things to see and do that will make your visit (or re-visit) revelatory. And then, of course, we've also snuck in a few unexpected treasures, like Central Maine and Israel's Western Galilee region, both places that are sure to delight first-time travelers and seasoned jet-setters alike.

Read on to discover the best places to visit this year, and consider adding both some unexpected destinations and old standbys to your 2023 travel bucket list.

Sydney, Australia

With its laid-back outdoor lifestyle and relaxed beachy chic, Sydney's natural assets usually get all the attention. There's the glittering harbor, the coastline strung with world-class beaches , and the stunning World Heritage wilderness on its doorstep. But in 2023, it will be Sydney's new cultural offerings that will steal the show.

For starters, the Sydney Opera House turns 50 in 2023. It celebrates by throwing off the scaffolding of a 10-year, $300-million renovation. Everyone in town is talking about the improved acoustics in the main Concert Hall, and many areas in the enormous building have been made accessible to people with mobility impairments for the first time. The venue will showcase its improvements with a stunning theater, music, and opera programs in 2023. 

Meanwhile, just past the Harbour Bridge , Pier 2/3 opened in 2022 to house the acclaimed Australian Chamber Orchestra in a stunningly repurposed Edwardian-era finger pier extending into the harbor. It's the latest addition to the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, home to nine of Australia's most important performing arts companies, including First Nations contemporary-dance powerhouse Bangarra Dance Theatre and the Sydney Theatre Company —the theater of choice for Australian cinema stars seeking a stint of live performance, such as Toni Collette, Hugo Weaving, Geoffrey Rush, and former artistic director Cate Blanchett. 

Just south of Walsh Bay, Sydney's harbor revitalization is continuing with the massive development of Barangaroo , which transformed a working wharf area into parkland (including a brand-new harbor swimming spot in view of the Harbour Bridge), cultural spaces, and the 889-foot-high Crown casino, which has transformed Sydney's skyline. 

Meanwhile, the $344-million Sydney Modern wing of the Art Gallery of NSW opened in December 2022. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, it’s a sprawling glass-fronted stunner embedded into the Domain parklands over a series of stepped terraces. Inside are landmark collections of First Nations art, an underground gallery in an old World War II oil tank, and a dedicated new-media gallery. 

Australia is a long journey from many places worldwide, but new non-stop flights will make connections easier than ever. Qantas has announced it will link Sydney and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport in a non-stop, 16-hour flight starting June 14, with plans to fly non-stop to London in the future too. 

And although Australia endured some of the harshest lockdowns in the world just a few years ago and closed its international border for almost 600 days, it reopened to international travelers in February 2022. In July 2022, it lifted the requirement for a COVID-19 test before entering the country. Locally, Sydney-siders have rebounded out of the tight restrictions with glee. The town is jumping, with live music pouring out of venues, conversation buzzing in restaurants, and what feels like half the city spreading a towel at the beach. Visitors are being welcomed with a choice of new luxury stays, including Heritage-listed Capella Sydney , opening in March 2023, behind a beautiful sandstone facade once occupied by the Department of Education, and the architecturally adventurous W Sydney , overlooking Barangaroo, in the dining and nightlife precinct of Darling Harbour. — Monique Choy

Central Maine

The classic Maine daydream usually consists of the tried and true elements: lighthouses, sailboats, and the roar of waves crashing into a rocky coast. But approximately one hour north of Portland, nestled in native Eastern white pine, lies a less coastal—and less congested—version of the state’s slogan, The Way Life Should Be.

For a state that has inspired heaping shelves of classic American literature—think “Olive Kitteridge,” “The Cider House Rules,” and, of course, anything by native Mainer Stephen King—it seems apropos that Maine was once a dominant force in the paper mill industry. In the 19th century, paper production consumed nearly half of the annual cut of Maine timber. The state’s abundant woodlands, particularly its plentiful poplar and spruce trees, made it the perfect destination for the industry to boom.  

Today, only six paper mills remain in Maine, and the glory days of its booming mill towns are long gone. While the allure of heavily touristed areas like Rockland, Camden, and Kennebunkport have cushioned the southern end of the state in tourism revenue, towns further away from the coast are finally finding their footing.

Central Maine has become an inspiring model for how to take a negative—defunct former mill towns—and transform them into hyper-local communities that enrich the lives of both natives and starry-eyed vacationers. Towns like Belgrade and Winslow, better known for their lakes than ocean views, offer plenty of outdoor adventure for campers, hikers, skiers, and more. And for those looking for a taste of Maine without breaking the bank, the area still offers the same unrivaled seafood and blueberries that you’ll find down south for a fraction of the price.

In Waterville, visitors walking down Main Street can still see the once-storied Lockwood Mills on the south end of town. The mills, which hung empty over Waterville for years, are now becoming a series of residential units and commercial spaces. It’s not the only thing being revitalized: Waterville-based Colby College has invested $100 million into the city’s downtown area over the past few years, culminating in the summer 2022 opening of the boutique Lockwood Hotel , as well as the Paul J. Schupf Art Center , which debuted in December 2022. 

Head to the bar at the sleek and sophisticated Lockwood on any Friday night in town, and you’ll be greeted by a young and creative crowd sipping craft cocktails by the fireplace. The Schupf Art Center, which spotlights work from local artists, also boasts a brand new cinema set to host a portion of this summer’s Maine International Film Festival . 

That swell of creative energy also extends over to Waterville’s neighboring city, Skowhegan. After securing space in a building once a county jail, co-founder and CEO Amber Lambke launched Maine Grains , a gristmill producing organic and heritage grains solely sourced from the Northeast. The mill just celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022 and has announced plans to expand to an additional building to accommodate several new product lines and serve as an online fulfillment hub. 

The three-story former jail is also home to a local radio station, a yarn store, a dry goods shop, and an artisanal cheese shop Crooked Face Creamery , founded by local Amy Rowbottom, who handcrafts all of the shop’s offerings from milk sourced from local farms. On weekends, the area around the building buzzes with crowds of locals who drive up for lunch at The Miller’s Table , the gristmill’s onsite restaurant serving sandwiches and pizzas made with dough milled onsite. The menu features no shortage of craft beers from nearby Bigelow Brewing , which has also announced recent expansion plans: the brewery will take over the 80,000 square foot former Solon Manufacturing mill on Skowhegan Island, which had a strong run producing yarn and wood products in the early twentieth century.

Of course, there’s always plenty to do in Maine for those seeking solitude in the outdoors any time of the year. Just 2 miles from Waterville, the Quarry Road Trails offer over 8 miles of singletrack trails for skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. Outfitters like Magic Falls and North Country Rivers offer rafting trips on the nearby Kennebec River. And in this part of the state, hiking opportunities, like the lush RiverWalk at Head of Falls or the Kennebec Messalonskee Trails , are abundant—just don’t be surprised if you see a moose or two. All are perfect opportunities for visitors to get up close and personal with the trees that built the state. — Astrid Taran

Western Galilee, Israel

While Tel Aviv and Jerusalem should very well be on your Israel itinerary , devote a few extra days to exploring a side of the country that often gets overlooked—and unfairly so. Western Galilee, also known as the North Coast of Israel, stretches along the Mediterranean Sea from the Carmel Range just north of Haifa to the country’s north-westernmost tip, with rolling mountains and coastal views intermixed with archaeological sites and farm-to-table eats that can’t be beaten.

Start your trip in the port city of Acre (also known as Akko), a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled at the northern tip of the Bay of Haifa. Conquered by a range of empires and civilizations over its 5,000-year history, Acre is best known for having once been the capital of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Take a tour of the Hospitaller Fortress , which served as a hospital and hospice to pilgrims en route to Jerusalem in the 12th and 13th centuries, before journeying through the Templars Tunnels. This 492-foot-long underground passage was used to link the Knights Templar's main fortress to the port. Afterward, browse the city’s souk and artisanal shops, including Art 192 , a gallery that sells ceramics, jewelry, and other wares created by Israeli craftswomen from around Galilee and Golan.

Natural beauty is in no short supply here, either. Just south of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, the geologic formation of Rosh HaNikra comprises grottoes and white chalk cliffs that can be accessed via a quick ride down the world’s steepest cable car. Then head to the remains of nearby Keshet Cave: a large natural arch situated on the southern cliffs of the Adamit Mountain Ridge in Adamit Park. Hike the short trail to the top, where you can simply take in the spectacular views or join other adventure seekers in rappelling roughly 130 to 165 feet down to the cave floor.

Meanwhile, the region’s food and drink scene is undoubtedly one to rival Tel Aviv’s. At Alto Dairy Farm , visitors can munch on housemade sourdough bread, a variety of quiches, and fresh cheese produced from Galician goat’s milk, paired with toppings such as silan, tahini, and nuts. If you’re looking to imbibe, sip wine at Kishor Winery , staffed by members of the neurodiverse Kishorit kibbutz, or craft beers at Malka Brewery .

Got a sweet tooth? Look no further than Tosha Bakery in Achziv. Co-owned by Shahaf Avraham and pastry chef Tomer Swisa, who honed his craft in Israel and France, Tosha offers more than 30 delectable pastries and other sweets adapted from recipes Swisa’s grandmother used to make. Pick up a smattering of baked goods to split with the table—from croissants oozing with pistachio crème to mouthwatering mousses and savory bourekas—and order a cup of coffee on the side. If you still have room left for dessert, head to Odette Chocolate & Pralines Boutique for an assortment of delicious confections—including chocolate logs, chocolate-covered nuts, and pralines filled with flavors like hazelnut and olive oil—and chocolate workshops led by owner Dr. Shlomit Zamir.

Don’t leave without signing up for a cooking workshop or home hospitality experience with tour operator Galileat , which offers visitors to the region an opportunity to learn about local culture through food. Through the program, Druze, Muslim, Christian, and Bedouin hosts around Galilee are ready to welcome you into their homes to share their faith and customs, cook you a traditional homecooked meal, and maybe show you how to roll a grape leaf or two.

To truly get a feel for what it is like to live and work on a kibbutz, a collective Israeli community with agrarian roots, round out your trip with a visit to Kibbutz Kfar Masaryk . In addition to tours of the grounds, the kibbutz offers workshops on topics ranging from birdwatching to Rondo and Hora dances, an art gallery, a dining hall with buffet-style lunch, and 20 accommodations where both families and couples can spend the night. —  Elizabeth Preske

Perhaps the most anticipated tourist reopening, Japan is now fully reopened to travelers, making 2023 the year to experience—or perhaps re-experience—the Land of the Rising Sun. Visitors will also be able to take advantage of a weaker-than-usual yen, as the exchange rate in 2020 was an average of 106 yen to $1—the current exchange rate is 127 yen per dollar.

For travelers with kids (or those who are simply young at heart), Tokyo is a must-visit city in 2023, with Tokyo Disney's Toy Story-themed hotel now open. Based on the film series, the hotel offers a unique stay for visitors that includes not just rooms decorated with characters from the franchise on the walls and matching bedding but an entirely immersive experience. If you want a truly magical experience in Tokyo, the 300,000-square-foot Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter opens this summer. The interactive experience allows guests to explore the world of Harry Potter through a behind-the-scenes look into how the films and special effects were created, including a recreation of the indoor soundstage and outdoor backlot used to make the films.

Entertainment lovers will also want to beeline to Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Shinjuku, set to be the country's largest hotel and entertainment complex. Spanning 48 floors, Kabukicho will comprise two hotels, a movie theater, a massive food hall, and a four-story concert venue that will seat 1,500 people.

And for anime fans, Studio Ghibli has opened its long-awaited new theme park in Nagoya, about three hours by train from Tokyo. The expansive park spans five different themed lands based on fan-favorite films, like "My Neighbour Totoro" and "Princess Mononoke," as well as a life-sized replica of Howl's Moving Castle.

Japan has always been a bastion of luxurious hotels, and now the tony EDITION brand will plant its roots in Ginza, opening an 86-room hotel with three restaurants, including a rooftop bar where you can take in the expansive Tokyo skyline. Meanwhile, local brand Tokyu Hotels opened Hotel Higashiyama last July in Kyoto. Located near Chionin Temple and Heian-jingu Shrine, staying at the hotel is a zen-like experience with rooms arranged around a central courtyard with a Japanese garden. Each room also comes with a box full of original tea utensils that you can use to brew your own Japanese tea.

For families, Hoshino Resorts, which currently operates 58 properties in and around Japan, has just opened RISONARE Osaka , which bills itself as a hub of creativity where children can draw on the walls and windows of their guest rooms with crayons. Marking itself as Japan's first hotel to embrace the Reggio Emilia Approach, an early childhood education program, it hopes to become a hotel that offers value by creating opportunities to nurture children's artistic creativity.

Further north, Club Med has opened its newest ski resort in the area, Club Med Kiroro in Hokkaido. The all-inclusive resort offers up some of the best skiing in the region and will feature a natural open-air hot spring and spa, with all the attractive features the brand continues to be known for .

If you've been saddened by the news of Danish restaurant Noma closing its doors, but don't have plans to visit Copenhagen before then, you may still be in luck. The long-standing "world's best restaurant" is holding a 10-week pop-up in the Ace Hotel Kyoto from March 15 to May 20, 2023, focusing on a tasting menu inspired by the region's distinct ingredients and culinary history.

And, of course, after you've exhausted all the traditional culinary adventures Japan has to enjoy, you can take respite in the comfort food of choice at one of the country's long-standing top hotels: Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo , which features 12 restaurants and bars across its 38 floors. You'll have everything from traditional Cantonese at Sense, upscale French cuisine at Signature, and even Michelin-starred Tapas Molecular Bar. At the end of the night, tuck away to the rooftop Mandarin Bar and admire Tokyo's glittering sprawl. It's good to be back. — Ryan Smith

Thomas Pickard

In unexpected social media trends of the year, the infamous Drake Passage—the notoriously rough body of water that separates South America and Antarctica—has made its rounds on TikTok. And that's because more people than ever are heading to the southernmost destination in the world.

Antarctica is heating up, both figuratively and literally. With the rapid growth of the expedition cruising industry, particularly in the luxury sector, getting to Antarctica has never been easier.

Between 2022 and 2023, nearly a dozen new polar-class ships have been or will be launched by both existing and new cruise lines: Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, Silversea's Silver Endeavor and Silver Nova, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, Atlas Ocean Voyages' World Traveller; Aurora Expedition's Sylvia Earle; Albatros Expedition's Ocean Victory and Ocean Albatros; Scenic Eclipse II; and Swan Hellenic's SH Diana, among them. And that's not to mention numerous others that debuted in 2020 and 2021. Between them, you're treated to comforts like high-end spas, toys like helicopters and submersibles, and, of course, fine dining.

What's more, even land-based Antarctic expeditions are growing. Luxury operator White Desert just opened its third space-age glamping facility, Echo Camp , on the continent; to get there, White Desert flies guests from Cape Town to Antarctica via private jet.

With so many options for visiting Antarctica, there hasn't been a better (or at least a more convenient) time to visit the White Continent. But returning to Antarctica heating up, is it ethical to go?

As an icy continent, Antarctica is, perhaps unsurprisingly, directly impacted by planetary temperature change. But Antarctica's climate is complex and dynamic, with dramatic regional differences. East Antarctica, for instance, has seen some cooling trends; the South Pole, which is technically in East Antarctica, had its coldest winter on record in 2021. And long-term Antarctic sea ice trend shows essentially zero change, according to Climate.gov . But the Antarctic Peninsula in West Antarctica, where most expedition cruises sail, is warming dramatically.

It's important to acknowledge that cruising is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, just like flying. Even ships that use liquified natural gas, which is touted as a more sustainable alternative to diesel, contribute to emissions, just in the form of methane rather than carbon dioxide.

But what makes cruising to Antarctica worth the potential environmental trade-off is the continent's ability to turn you into an ambassador for protecting Earth. On one of my trips to Antarctica, a naturalist told us that often people don't care to protect what they don't know. Being able to fully immerse yourself in the wilderness of Antarctica—to hear the thunderous crack of a glacier calving and the roar of the tsunami that follows, to watch an Adélie penguin waddle across your path with a pebble in its mouth to build a nest with its mate, to witness humpback whales lunge feeding in an extraordinary display of graceful choreography—makes you care just so much more about not just Antarctica, but the entire planet.

That's why we encourage you to visit Antarctica, but we implore you to do so with the right intentions. Don't just book a trip to check off your seventh continent. Do your research into the company you book with, ensuring they're a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators . This organization ensures its members adhere to the best practices for protecting wildlife and the environment and take all precautions for human safety. And keep in mind that Antarctica is a remote, extreme, and dangerous place—listen to your guides at all times, and be highly mindful throughout your entire trip. A trip to Antarctica is an extraordinary privilege that shouldn't be taken lightly. Travel with intention, be safe and open yourself up to the wonders of the White Continent. — Stefanie Waldek

Bianca Loðbrók

Rome, Italy

If it seemed like everyone on your Instagram feed was in Italy last year, you’re not imagining things. A 2022 study by Allianz found that demand for Europe travel was up 600 percent, and Rome ranked as the fifth in-demand summer destination. That trend is likely to continue into 2023. A recent survey by the Leading Hotels of the World found that Italy is currently leading the pack for bookings this year.

Rome is called the Eternal City for a reason, but in addition to its many timeless pleasures, it has some compelling new reasons to go in 2023, especially if it’s been a while since your last visit. The Mausoleum of Augustus —the world’s largest circular tomb—reopened to the public in 2021 after an 8 million euros restoration. Also in 2021, the Colosseum opened the underground level known as the hypogeum, allowing visitors to walk the narrow corridors where gladiators prepared for the games and wild animals were kept before being hoisted up to the stage on wooden platforms. To visit the underground level, you must book a guided tour, such as the official Moon over the Colosseum tour , or a private tour with a company like Roma Experience .

Last year saw the inauguration of the Museo dell’Arte Salvata (Museum for Rescued Art), which displays looted or lost antiquities and other artworks that have been recovered before they’re returned to their rightful homes. In addition, a restoration of the Sacred Area of Largo di Torre Argentina —where Julius Caesar was assassinated—is currently underway. When it’s completed, visitors can join the cats at the Largo Argentina Cat Sanctuary and get up close and personal with the ruins, which lay just below street level in an open area in the heart of Rome’s centro storico.

In terms of modern developments, the city’s hotel scene is heating up in a big way, bringing hip new affordable options and luxurious properties by international brands. Already open are the Hoxton Rome and Mama Shelter Roma —where budget-conscious travelers don’t have to sacrifice style—and Soho House Rome and the W Rome , both of which boast rooftop restaurants and pools.

Coming soon are high-end hotels by Six Senses , Edition , Nobu , and Bulgari , in addition to Palazzo Roma, a luxury boutique hotel in a historic palazzo by the Shedir Collection (the company behind Hotel Vilòn and Hotel Maalot)—all slated to open in 2023. Plus, Thai brand Anantara is currently renovating the historic Palazzo Naiadi hotel on Piazza Della Repubblica.

Whether or not you splurge on a room, these new hotels are bringing buzzy restaurants and bars to attract locals and international visitors. The Bulgari Hotel, for example, will have a restaurant by lauded chef Niko Romito. The W has two hot restaurants: Giano by Michelin-starred Sicilian chef Ciccio Sultano and Otto Rooftop, which serves pizzas by esteemed Roman pizzaiolo Pier Daniele Seu, whose pizzeria Seu Pizza Illuminati is ranked number 8 on the list of the 50 Top Pizzerias in the world.

Indeed, it’s a perfect time for pizza aficionados to visit Rome. The city has seen a wave of next-gen pizzaiolos energizing the scene. Top spots include 180 Grammi in the off-the-beaten-path neighborhood of Centocelle, L’Elementare , which has locations in Trastevere and the Parco Appio, and I Quintili by pizzaiolo Marco Quintili, who hails from the province of Caserta, which is known for having some of Italy’s best pizzerias. A visit to Rome in 2023 will be a feast for all the senses. — Laura Itzkowitz

Courtesy of Four Seasons

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Prince got it right, per usual, when he told Oprah in a 1996 interview that he'd always live in Minnesota because "it's so cold it keeps the bad people out." The state's residents are notoriously nice, which makes Minnesota a particularly welcoming place to visit, no matter the weather. With the addition of a luxury hotel, a restaurant at the helm of pivoting American cuisine, and other must-see locales, it's easy to understand why you'd want to visit the land of 10,000 lakes. (Though, as Minnesotans will politely correct you, the state technically boasts 11,842 lakes—but who's counting?)

Start your stay in Minneapolis, the livelier of the Twin Cities. Hop on the light rail at MSP airport, and 30 minutes later, you'll step off in downtown Minneapolis, where you can check in for a stay at the state's first five-star hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis . Located two blocks from the Mississippi River and four blocks from famed music venue First Avenue, the Four Seasons is within walking distance of all that downtown and its posh adjoining neighborhood, the North Loop, have to offer. That's assuming you can tear yourself away from eating every meal at Mara , the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant by award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen , located within the hotel.

One meal you must venture out for is a dinner at Owamni , the highly-praised restaurant at the center of the Indigenous foods movement. Perhaps you read about Owamni in The New Yorker , or maybe the name sounds familiar from their 2022 James Beard Award win for Best New Restaurant. Every menu item is "decolonized," as co-owner and Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman calls it, free of ingredients introduced to North America after Europeans arrived. Forget dairy, cane sugar, black pepper, and wheat flour. You don't need them, at least as far as the Owamni menu (which features dishes like bison stew and blue corn mush) is concerned. The restaurant is just an 11-minute walk from the Four Seasons, so go ahead and indulge in one more glass of whatever you're washing your elk short ribs down with. If the weather allows—always a gamble, though Minnesotans are bred to soak up every warm, sunny day—enjoy your meal on the patio overlooking the Mississippi River.

Add the Minnesota Zoo to your itinerary too. Located just south of the charming capital St. Paul, the zoo is not only home to lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) but also the world's longest elevated pedestrian loop. The Treetop Trail is a 32-foot-high, 1.25-mile walking path through the zoo's various lush landscapes, including a reflection pond, wetlands, and, as the name implies, a forest. The trail's multiple access points, with elevators and ramps, allow guests of all mobility levels to enter and exit in different locations to get a glimpse of their favorite animals. If all goes to plan, the Treetop Trail will open this summer, hopefully just in time to coincide with the zoo's annual and adorable Farm Babies exhibit.

For a more all-encompassing view of the midwest, book Viking's new Great Lakes Collection cruise. The two-week-long excursion travels between Duluth, Minnesota, and Toronto, winding through the Great Lakes with pit stops at iconic locations like Niagara Falls and Mackinac Island.

We like to think Prince would be the first aboard. — Megan McCarty

Maximilian Guy McNair MacEwan

Tulum, Mexico

The city that launched a thousand hashtags and the poster child of boho-chic, Tulum is one resort town where every year brings something new. Between the booming beach clubs and luxurious boutique hotels, there are many reasons why travelers keep returning again and again to this once-sleepy fishing village next to the Mayan ruins. Roughly a two-hour drive from the Cancun Airport, Tulum has always proved rewarding for those willing to go the extra mile, but the coming years are promising an easier way to get there so that you can skip the pricy cab fare or the rental car.

There are two massive infrastructure projects on the horizon in Tulum: the Maya Train and a brand-new international airport. Construction has been underway on the Maya Train, which will connect Tulum to not only Cancun but other major cities on the peninsula like Bacalar and Izamal. The first section of the train line is expected to open in December 2023, but the project has also been controversial, enduring harsh criticism from environmentalists and human rights advocates .

Meanwhile, the new airport will sit 20 minutes south of the city center near the ruins of Muyil. The first route will run between Tulum and Mexico City's brand-new airport, Felipe Ángeles (AIFA), and low-cost airlines are already eyeing the new landing strip. It's been given an opening date of December 2023, but it might take until mid-2024 for the regular service to kick in. Both projects are working towards decongesting traffic from Cancun as more and more holidaymakers are finding their way down to Tulum worldwide. The new international airport will also give travelers a better starting point for exploring the southern reaches of Quintana Roo, like the multicolored lakes of Bacalar (two hours south of Tulum) and the far jungle side of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve.

Tulum's beachfront is stacked with luxury hotels that claim the best location in the city and are always trying to make the biggest splash in art and design. You can find the influencer set lining up for snapshots in front of the "Ven a la Luz" sculpture at the Ahau Tulum Resort or booking the top suite La Valise , where the bed rolls out onto the balcony so you can sleep under the stars. However, Hilton has just opened two new hotels in the area, which will pose shiny new offerings for travelers in 2023. The centrally-located Motto delivers Tulum style with a rooftop infinity pool, and with comparatively affordable rates, it's a good choice for those who plan to bounce between the city center and the beach. Alternatively, the Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya is 20 minutes away from Tulum proper, sitting on the turtle-filled beaches of Akumal, but the resort offers a more traditional Riviera Maya resort experience, but with the Tulum twist of holistic wellness experiences and bass-thumping DJ sets.

As always, Tulum's beaches are the star attraction. The gentle blue waves are watched over by the ruins of an ancient Mayan city, and the wind conditions entice kite surfers to strap on their boards and fly. The only thing that could ruin this picture is the massive clumps of sargassum seaweed that wash up on the shores daily. However, this problem will be mitigated in 2023 thanks to a new 1.4-mile-long anti-sargassum barrier that stops the seaweed before it washes up on the beach.

Tulum is a place that is constantly transforming, and with many promises on the horizon to make it even more accessible, this is a place to watch. — Jamie Ditaranto

Honestly, there is no wrong time to visit Disneyland . But making a pilgrimage to "The Happiest Place on Earth" during 2023 will make your visit extra sweet, and we're not just talking about the consumption of the park's sugar-coated churros.

This year the Walt Disney Company is celebrating a century of creating its unique brand of animated magic. The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio—which it was initially named—was formed on Oct. 16, 1923, just months after 21-year-old Walt made the move to Los Angeles. There will be a year-long cross-company global observance to honor the centennial, with Disneyland being the centerpiece of the celebration. Beginning on Jan. 27, 2023, the park will feature added entertainment, festivities, and an abundance of razzle dazzle sprinkled throughout the park—all for the Disney100 Celebration , Sleeping Beauty's castle will be given a platinum-hued glow to kick it all off. The castle will also be the focus of the new nighttime extravaganza entitled Wondrous Journeys . This brand new show will use the castle, Main Street U.S.A., Rivers of America, and the facade of "it's a small world" as the canvas for a visual cavalcade featuring snippets and nods to every film that Disney has released during the past hundred years. Meanwhile, over at California Adventure, this year will see the debut of World of Color - ONE , the new water projection show paying homage to Disney classics, both new and old, alongside moments from "Star Wars" and Marvel movies.

Disney parade lovers will be thrilled with the return of the wildly popular " Magic Happens " parade in late February. The over-the-top extravaganza pays tribute to cherished moments from Disney's films from "Moana" to "Frozen" to Pixar's "Coco" with music, dancing, and elaborate floats, all led by an iridescent outfitted Mickey Mouse. But Mickey will have much more than merely a parade presence.

Since "it was all started with a mouse," as Walt Disney once famously stated, it's only fitting that Mickey Mouse will star in this year's most anticipated debut. On March 27, Mickey's Toontown, which has undergone a massive remodel, will reopen to guests. The reimagined land will feature CenTOONial Park, a sprawling grassy knoll, interactive play areas, and a bevy of water features, which will be a welcome addition on those hot southern California days. The highlight of the land is the west coast debut of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Train , opening on Jan. 27. The attraction—which already exists in Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World—will be housed in the memorabilia-filled El CapiTOON Theater.

Over in Critter Country, big changes are on the horizon. Disney is transforming the wet and wild Splash Mountain into Tiana's Bayou Adventure. While this metamorphosis won't be complete until next year, you can get a taste of the "Princess and the Frog" vibe with the debut of Tiana's Place. The French Market in New Orleans Square, right around the bend from Critter Country, will be reimagined with a menu to reflect Tiana's culinary talents for dishes such as gumbo and beignets.

Speaking of beignets, whenever there is something to celebrate, Disneyland invariably cooks up something tantalizing and wildly creative. The year will be sprinkled with an eclectic array of new treats, both sweet and savory, along with food-centric commemorative souvenirs like the Mickey Mouse popcorn buckets and sippers, to go along with all the other commemorative Disney100 apparel and merch available for purchase.

If you've been looking for a good excuse to visit the "Happiest Place on Earth," partaking in the Disney100 Celebration is a pretty worthy one. Plus, there are churros. — Sunny Chanel

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Few cities in Asia and the world blend an opulent British-colonial past with ever-growing, space-age skylines like Kuala Lumpur, shortened to "KL" by most locals—and now, Malaysia's capital will soon be more accessible than ever to visit.

Expect more seamless connections from the U.S. to this Southeast Asian gateway after the Federal Aviation Administration upgraded Malaysia's air safety rating in October 2022. A coil of highways and light-rail transport systems connects the airport to the former small towns of the Klang Valley, which now function as KL's many thriving residential neighborhoods.

They attract foreigners who find no match for Kuala Lumpur's low cost of living and quality of life. Since last year, Malaysia's De Rantau Pass , Southeast Asia's first full-fledged digital nomad visa, has a rock-bottom income requirement of $2,000 a month and allows stays of up to two years.

Today, the Klang river that marked the city's humble beginnings—Kuala Lumpur means "muddy estuary" in Malay—is strangled by development but still flows by some of the old city's architectural gems, such as the Jamek Mosque and the old Kuala Lumpur Railway, completed in 1916 by the former British colonialists. These old dames rub walls with modern buildings, monorail, LRT overpasses, shopping malls, and futuristic skyscrapers.

The next giant to open mid-2023 is Merdeka 118, the world's second-highest building. Soaring above the tourist enclave of Pasar Seni and Petaling Street, the city's bustling Chinatown, this 118-story, 2,200-foot tall, dark glass tower stretches up to the sky as the supreme example of Malaysia's world aspirations.

Before that, the 88-story, 1,400-foot-high Petronas Towers held the world's record for the tallest building from 1998 to 2003. These futuristic twin towers are the trademark of KLCC, Kuala Lumpur's glitziest and central neighborhood, filled by the city's largest shopping malls and the plushest entertainment and dining options.

Perched on the 48th floor of the Naza Tower, literally "haute" restaurant Dewakan boasts authentic Malaysian dishes prepared with rare ingredients and stunning views of the Klang Valley hemmed by the viridian slopes of the nearby Genting Highlands, the city's quickest getaway to fresh air, shining casinos, and a plethora of resorts.

It's no wonder that in December 2022, Dewakan and the French-inspired DC by Darren Chin earned a star each in the first Michelin guide to Kuala Lumpur and northern sister Penang island. But Michelin's recommendations only scratch the surface of Kuala Lumpur's labyrinthine food scene, which mixes Malay, Chinese, Indian, and international cuisines and boasts some of Asia's best street food culture.

First-time visitors usually spill from bar-and-nightclub strip Bukit Bintang to the adjacent tourist-friendly Jalan Alor, a haven of Chinese seafood and staple dishes like KL Hokkien Mee (noodles smothered in a sweet-salty black soy sauce with prawns, pork belly, and cabbage) and bak-kut-teh (pork ribs cooked in a broth of herbs and spices).

But the savviest local foodies brave the city's eternal traffic jams to venture out of the center to suburbs like Petaling Jaya, where Marriott opened minimal-chic Le Meridien in June 2022, and Subang Jaya—in particular, its SS15 district. From Jibril's irresistible salted egg butter chicken to Uncle Seng's choice of handmake pork and chicken curry noodles, and the zesty pork burgers of Burgertory , this district will add inches to your belt.

When the city becomes too much, one doesn't have to travel far to wind down in nature. The longest trail at Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve, Denai Tiga Puteri Peak, is a two-hour out-and-back scrawl across the rainforest to a viewpoint overlooking a busy highway and the city's skyline.

For more challenging trails, Bukit Saga in the northeastern area of Ampang has something for every level, from quick strolls to a whole day hike across the connecting Saga and Apek hills. Bukit Gasing in Petaling Jaya is next to the city's heart and can also be visited by car, driving up to a perfect viewpoint to soak Kuala Lumpur's lights come alive after pink-hued sunsets. — Marco Ferrarese

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How it works!

 A Vancouver tourism industry tradition, the TOURISM CHALLENGE is our annual opportunity to re-educate ourselves and enjoy the outstanding attractions and world class hotels that our region has to offer, so that we are ready to welcome our guests and SHARE our passion and knowledge.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE - available to staff and volunteers at participating tourism industry partners - check with your Manager to see if your company is playing.

FILL in the blanks of your PASSPORT!! Before you arrive INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND COMPANY NAME. SIGN IT!

Present your PASSPORT and PHOTO ID to the ticket centre, server or host to receive FREE ADMISSION or a SPECIAL TOURISM CHALLENGE RATE FOR TWO at participating attractions and activity partners, FANTASTIC DEALS at our hotel partner restaurants or great room rates.

Proof of employment WILL be requested before receiving a benefit.

PARTICIPATE DON’T expect to receive a stamp from an attraction if you are not willing to spend the time and meet their criteria for your stamp.

RESPECT your colleagues, treat the front-line staff as you would like to be treated, or as your company expects you to treat your guests.

Participants who don’t respect these guidelines WILL NOT be allowed to receive a Privilege Pass.

TALK TO YOUR MANAGER for more details on HOW TO COLLECT YOUR 2022 - 2023 PRIVILEGE PASS.

Note: All costs and expenses not specifically paid for as part of the prizes including without limitation - meals, gratuities, insurance, personal expenses, taxes and any transportation are the responsibility of the winners. There is no cash value to these prizes and they must be accepted as awarded, no substitutions or alterations will be made. None of The Vancouver Attractions Group, the Hotel Association of Vancouver, Destination Vancouver, Destination BC, prize contributors or their respective agents or representatives shall be responsible in any way for the use of or bear any liability whatsoever in any way attributable to a prize awarded in this contest. Each party that is eligible to win the prize must sign a declaration confirming understanding, compliance with, and acceptance of the contest rules, the prize, and a release of all liability satisfactory to Hotel Associaiton of Vancouver and the Vancouver Attractions Group. If any individual under the age of nineteen (19) years wins the grand prize or is the guest of the prize winner, the parents, legal guardian or other authorized legal representative of such person must also sign a consent and release of liability satisfactory to the Vancouver Attractions Group and the Hotel Associaiton of Vancouver.  Decisions of the judging panel are final with respect to all aspects of this.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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Tourism on Track for Full Recovery as New Data Shows Strong Start to 2023

• All Regions

International tourism is well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels, with twice as many people travelling during the first quarter of 2023 than in the same period of 2022.

New Data from UNWTO: What We've Learned

The second UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year shows that the sector's swift recovery has continued into 2023. It shows that:

• Overall, international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023
• An estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months, more than double the same period of 2022.
• Tourism has continued to show its resilience. Revised data for 2022 shows over 960 million tourists travelling internationally last year, meaning two-thirds (66%) of pre-pandemic numbers were recovered.

Recovery by Region in Q1 2023:

• The Middle East saw the strongest performance as the only region exceeding 2019 arrivals (+15%) and the first to recover pre-pandemic numbers in a full quarter.
• Europe reached 90% of pre-pandemic levels, driven by strong intra-regional demand.
• Africa reached 88% and the Americas about 85% of 2019 levels
• Asia and the Pacific accelerated its recovery with  54% of pre-pandemic levels, but this upward trend is set to accelerate now that most destinations, particularly China , have re-opened.

In many places, we are close to or even above pre-pandemic levels of arrivals

The UNWTO data also analyses recovery by sub-region and by destination: Southern Mediterranean Europe and North Africa have also recovered pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2023, while Western Europe, Northern Europe, Central America and the Caribbean all came close to reaching those levels.

What it Means:

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: "The start of the year has shown again tourism's unique ability to bounce back. In many places, we are close to or even above pre-pandemic levels of arrivals. However, we must remain alert to challenges ranging from geopolitical insecurity, staffing shortages, and the potential impact of the cost-of-living crisis on tourism, and we must ensure tourism's return delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency and as a driver of inclusive development."

International tourism receipts grew back to hit the USD1 trillion mark in 2022, growing 50% in real terms compared to 2021, driven by the important rebound in international travel. International visitor spending reached 64% of pre-pandemic levels (-36% compared to 2019, measured in real terms). By regions, Europe enjoyed the best results in 2022 with nearly USD 550 billion in tourism receipts (EUR 520 billion), or 87% of pre-pandemic levels. Africa recovered 75% of its pre-pandemic receipts, the Middle East 70% and the Americas 68%. Due to prolonged border shutdowns, Asian destinations earned about 28%.

International tourism receipts: Percentage of 2019 levels recovered in 2022(%) *

International tourist arrivals: percentage of 2019 levels recovered in q1 2023 (%)*, looking ahead: what's in store.

The Q1 2023 results are in line with UNWTO's forward-looking scenarios for the year which project international arrivals to recover 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels. UNWTO's Panel of Experts expressed their confidence in a strong peak season (May-August) in the Northern Hemisphere, reflected in the latest UNWTO Confidence Index which indicates performance for the period is on track to be even better than 2022.

However, tourism's recovery also faces some challenges .  According to the UNWTO Panel of Experts, the economic situation remains the main factor weighing on the effective recovery of international tourism in 2023, with high inflation and rising oil prices translating into higher transport and accommodations costs.  As a result, tourists are expected to increasingly seek value for money and travel closer to home. Uncertainty derived from the Russian aggression against Ukraine and other mounting geopolitical tensions, also continue to represent downside risks.

International Tourist Arrivals, World and Regions

Related links.

• Download the News Release in PDF
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer - EXCERPT Volume 21 • Issue 2 • May 2023
• World Tourism Barometer (PPT version)
• The UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer

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Related content, international tourism to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024, international tourism to end 2023 close to 90% of pre-p..., tourism’s importance for growth highlighted in world ec..., international tourism swiftly overcoming pandemic downturn.

Report: California tourism numbers top pre-pandemic levels, Bay Area numbers lag a bit behind

San francisco tourism groups say more needs to be done to bring tourism levels up to where they were before covid, by alyssa goard • published may 6, 2024 • updated on may 6, 2024 at 1:38 am.

On Sunday, California Governor Gavin Newsom posted a video of himself standing atop San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge to highlight a new tourism report.

"So, I'm up here on the Golden Gate Bridge, a testament to America's greatness, a testament to California's greatness, the beauty, the magnificence of the San Francisco Bay," Newsom said. "What a perfect place to announce our record-breaking tourism numbers."

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Newsom was celebrating the new numbers from Visit California's "Economic Impact of Travel in California 2014-2023" report, which indicated that in 2023, travel spending in California reached an all-time high of $150.4 billion, a 5.6% increase from 2022.

Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.

The report also notes that California travel spending numbers have finally risen above pre-pandemic levels, with the 2023 spending level 3.8% than the 2019 spending level.

But San Franciso travel organizations acknowledge: many of these statewide gains have been driven by a surge of tourism spending in Southern California.

The report indicates that while travel spending is rising in both the Bay Area and in San Francisco County, neither has surpassed 2019 travel spending levels yet.

"While it is true that California is recovering and has had a wonderful, stellar year, that in Northern California, specifically in San Francisco, we still have some rebuilding to do for our visitor economy," said Scott Beck, president and CEO of San Francisco Travel.

Beck noted that travel to San Francisco from Asia has not yet returned to the levels seen prior to the pandemic.

"We have a really, really high dependence on international travel from Asia in San Francisco, it’s a very big part and an important part of our visitor mix and that is still lagging," Beck said.

Beck attributed this lag in travel to Asia to something called "lift,' meaning the volume of air travel service into the region. In particular, Beck noted that flights between the U.S. and China were halted during the pandemic. Flights between the two countries have been increasing again , but the travel numbers are not as high as they were before the pandemic.

Beck said there will be another easing of flight restrictions in June and that he expects flights between China and San Francisco to increase in the coming years.

Scott Gentner, CEO of Pier 39, explained that the breakdown of tourists visiting the city shifted during the pandemic and in the years following. Prior to COVID, Gentner said that Pier 39 got about a third of its visitors from California, a third from around the U.S., and a third from outside the country. During the start of the pandemic, international travel went away, Gentner explained.

As COVID restrictions eased in 2022 and 2023, Gentner said Pier 39 saw a resurgence of domestic visitors which has since plateaued. Last year, Gentner said the Pier began seeing more visitors from Europe and this year more visitors from Asia have been traveling in.

"There are definitely tourists here, there are definitely tourists spending," Gentner said, adding the caveat that where the tourists are spending their dollars around the city can vary.

At Pier 39, which is seeing a boost in interest recently thanks to a surge in sea lion population, sales have been doing well, with 2023 sales on par with 2019 sales, according to Gentner.

"We have a record number of sea lions, it's something we didn’t know was coming and it's certainly bringing a more local crowd to Pier 39 and rediscovering some of the great things we have to offer," Gentner said.

At nearby Fisherman's Wharf, the executive director of the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District, Randall Scott, said that the pedestrian count there is down 18-20 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

"We’re on the way to making it back to where we were," Scott said, noting that hotel rates and occupancy rates are still down compared to 2019 in the area.

"We’re doing OK, compared to the rest of the city -- I would argue that our numbers are very good -- but compared to the rest of California, we’re still significantly down from where they were in 2019," Scott continued.

To help close the gap, Scott would like to see investment at the state and federal levels to help showcase the area and promote the message that San Francisco is a safe and exciting place to travel to.

Scott had one message in particular for California's governor:

"Governor Newsom: thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing tourism back to California. Southern California posted those numbers, please bring back and help us bring back the tourist industry to San Francisco," he said.

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We currently offer two types of passes for use at national parks, forests, and other federal recreation sites: Site Passes and the America the Beautiful - The National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass (referred to as the Interagency Annual Pass). You can learn more about these pass options below:

Site Passes

These digital passes cover entrance, standard amenity (day use), or recreation fees at a single location. Destinations across the country offer the convenience of digital passes, with a variety of pass options at each individual location for daily, weekly, seasonal, and/or annual access. Site Passes are also available immediately for download and can be used from your phone or tablet.

• Arm Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Site Pass
• Acadia National Park Site Pass
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• Cherokee National Forest Annual Pass Site Pass
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• Christiansted National Historic Site Site Pass
• Cibola National Forest & Grasslands Site Pass
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• Coronado National Forest Site Pass
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• Fort Mchenry National Monument and Historic Shrine Site Pass
• Fort Moultrie Site Pass
• Fort Pulaski National Monument Site Pass
• Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Site Pass
• George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Site Pass
• Glacier National Park Site Pass
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Site Pass
• Grand Canyon National Park Site Pass
• Grand Teton National Park Site Pass
• Great Falls Park Site Pass
• Great Sand Dunes National Park Site Pass
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park Site Pass
• Gulf Islands National Seashore Site Pass
• Haleakala National Park Site Pass
• Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Site Pass
• Hawai'I Volcanoes National Park Site Pass
• Huron-Manistee National Forests Site Pass
• Indiana Dunes National Park Site Pass
• Joshua Tree National Park Site Pass
• Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Site Pass
• Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Site Pass
• Lake Havasu Shoreline Sites Site Pass
• Lassen Volcanic National Park Site Pass
• Lava Beds National Monument Site Pass
• Lewis and Clark National Historical Park Site Pass
• Medicine Bow - Routt Nf - Fs Site Pass
• Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Site Pass
• Mesa Verde National Park Site Pass
• Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Site Pass
• Montezuma Castle National Monument Site Pass
• Mount Rainier National Park Site Pass
• Mt. Hood National Forest Site Pass
• Muir Woods Annual Pass Site Pass
• Npr Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge Site Pass
• Olympic National Park Site Pass
• Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Site Pass
• Padre Island National Seashore Site Pass
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Site Pass
• Pinnacles National Park Site Pass
• Pompeys Pillar National Monument Site Pass
• Prince William Forest Park Site Pass
• Pu`Uhonua O HŌNaunau National Historical Park Site Pass
• Red Rock Site Pass
• Rocky Mountain National Park Site Pass
• Saguaro National Park Site Pass
• Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Site Pass
• San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Site Pass
• Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge Site Pass
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Site Pass
• Shenandoah National Park Site Pass
• Siuslaw National Forest Site Pass
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Site Pass
• Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Site Pass
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park Site Pass
• Thomas Edison National Historical Park Site Pass
• TumacÁCori National Historical Park Site Pass
• Tuzigoot National Monument Site Pass
• Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Site Pass
• Vicksburg National Military Park Site Pass
• Walnut Canyon National Monument Site Pass
• Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Site Pass
• White Mountain National Forest Site Pass
• Wright Brothers National Memorial Site Pass
• Wupatki National Monument Site Pass
• Yellowstone National Park Site Pass
• Yosemite National Park Site Pass
• Yuma Field Office Blm Site Pass

Interagency Annual Pass

This physical pass provides access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. The Interagency Annual Pass is valid for a full year through the month of purchase. This pass does not provide discounts for camping, permit, or ticket reservations. The Interagency Annual Pass is shipped in the mail and must be carried with you; please allow time for shipping. Anyone 16 years or older may purchase the pass. Children 15 years and under are always admitted for free.

Buy Interagency Annual Pass Now

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Dubai sightseeing & attractions passes

Unlock huge savings with pre-paid access to top sights, tours and activities. Choose from the available attraction passes below.

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What is a dubai pass, how to use a dubai city pass, option 1: dubai pass, option 2: go dubai pass, common dubai pass questions.

A Dubai pass, also known as a Dubai city pass or an attractions pass, is a great way of seeing Dubai’s sights for less.

See all the sights with a Dubai pass

Using your Dubai attractions pass is as simple as opening a mobile app.

Experience all that's possible in Dubai for less, with the Dubai Pass.

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Dubai Flexi Attractions Pass

Save up to 40% on more than 30 Dubai experiences. Choose three, five or seven top Dubai attractions.

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Save up to 50% on selected attractions with seven days to use your pass.

Dubai Unlimited Attractions Pass

Save up to 60% on 30+ attractions, with three or five-day passes to fit your schedule.

Dubai Theme Park Pass

Save up to 40% on Dubai's best theme parks, with multiple options to suit you.

Dubai Stopover Pass

Save up to 50% on two to four top experiences, to use over 36 hours during your Dubai stopover.

Enjoy even more flexible savings with the Go Dubai Pass.

Choose your Go Dubai Pass

Select which pass is perfect for you

All-Inclusive Pass

Visit as many attractions as you like with 2 to 7-day passes, valid over two weeks.

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Enjoy access to 3, 4, 5, or 7 attractions, with 60 days to use your pass.

Find the answers to some of the most frequent questions about Dubai attraction passes here.

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Illinois: The Middle of Everything

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For Distribution May 7, 2024

Illinois Office of Tourism Announces International Visitor Growth in 2023

Illinois Experienced 39 Percent Increase in International Visitors from 2022 - Highlighting State’s Rising Global Appeal

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Office of Tourism, is proud to announce a significant increase in international visitors to the state in 2023, marking a momentous milestone in tourism growth for Illinois.

Illinois welcomed 2.16 million international visitors in 2023, reflecting a substantial 39% increase from the previous year, according to data provided by Tourism Economics. This surge in international visitation showcases Illinois as an increasingly sought-after global destination. Additionally, international visitors injected nearly $2.7 billion into Illinois' economy in 2023, representing a 47% increase in spending compared to the previous year. 

“This significant achievement highlights the growing global appeal of our great state and the hard work of our tourism and hospitality industry partners to make Illinois a world-class destination,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “Whether you call the Land of Lincoln home or are visiting from afar, we welcome everyone looking to discover all the amazing things that our state and cities have to offer.”

“Illinois is thriving! The growing interest in our state as a destination showcases the unique experiences we offer,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton . “From our vibrant landscapes and iconic Chicago skyline, there is something for everyone to enjoy. As we continue to welcome visitors from around the world, we invite them to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of experiences that make Illinois truly extraordinary.”

“The tourism sector plays a vital role in Illinois’ economy, driving job creation, economic growth and supporting our small businesses and communities across the state,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards . “The record growth in international visitors is a testament to the strength of Illinois' tourism industry and its ability to attract visitors from around the globe.”

“Illinois is truly in the Middle of Everything, and there’s no better place for international travelers to visit,” said Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) . “The significant growth among Illinois’ tourism sector solidifies our state’s position as a welcoming, world-class destination for visitors from near and far.”

The top five markets for visitation to Illinois in 2023 include Canada, Mexico, India, the U.K. and Germany.

• Canada emerged as the leading market for international visitation, with an impressive increase from 425,000 to 627,000 visitors, representing a substantial 48% growth.
• Overseas visitors (defined as visitors not from Canada and Mexico) also showed significant growth, surging from 963,000 visitors in 2022 to 1,347,000 in 2023, marking a 40% increase.
• India demonstrated substantial growth in visitors to Illinois, with an increase of 55% from 2019 to 2023.
• Mexico contributed to the upward trend, with visitation numbers climbing from 164,000 to 183,000, reflecting a notable 12% rise.

Today's announcement of international tourism growth comes on the heels of IPW 2024 in Los Angeles, the largest annual travel trade show in the U.S. Next year, Chicago will host IPW 2025, June 14-18, 2025.

The Illinois Office of Tourism attributes this growth to strategic marketing initiatives, enhanced partnerships and a wide array of unique attractions and experiences that appeal to international travelers. The Illinois Office of Tourism partners with offshore offices in the U.K., Germany and Mexico to promote and market Illinois to international travelers.

Illinois welcomed a total of 111 million visitors who spent $44 billion in 2022 (the latest data available) – representing 14 million additional travelers spending $12 billion more than calendar year 2021.

About the Illinois Office of Tourism The Illinois Office of Tourism leads tourism industry efforts to inspire visitation to, and within Illinois, resulting in significant economic impact and quality-of-life benefits for all Illinois residents. We are committed to making Illinois a model of inclusivity and celebration of diversity.

Illinois is a state that embodies innovation, craft, surprise and creativity. Whether domestic and international visitors are traveling for business or leisure, the Illinois Office of Tourism is their trusted guide in crafting an unforgettable experience. To learn more visit EnjoyIllinois.com .

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Entrance passes.

Most of the sites managed by the National Park Service are free to visit, but some require an entrance pass. You may also need a vehicle reservation at a few high-traffic sites.

Frequent visitors, seniors , military, and others may save money on entrance fees with an America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, also known an America the Beautiful or interagency pass. Review all pass options below and decide which pass is best for you.

Entrance Pass Comparison

National parks that charge an entrance fee require visitors to purchase or obtain a standard pass, park-specific annual pass, or America the Beautiful pass. Visitors only need one of these.

Standard Pass

• For one national park
• Valid for 7 days
• Directly funds the park

Recommended for

One trip to one park

Entrance fees and passes by park

Annual Pass

• For one national park or park group
• Valid for 1 year
• Not available for every park
• Multiple trips to one park
• One or more trips to one park group

America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass

• Covers entrance fees and standard amenity fees (day-use fees) at Federal recreational sites, including national parks
• 1 year and lifetime options
• Seniors , military, visitors with permanent disabilities
• One or more trips to multiple parks

More about America the Beautiful Passes

Vehicle Reservations

Some highly-visited national parks use a seasonal or year-round timed entry system to manage private vehicle traffic. Reservations are typically made available through recreation.gov on a rolling basis. If you plan to drive into one of these parks while the timed entry system is in effect, we recommend making a reservation well in advance.

Parks with vehicle reservations

Covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees at lands managed by

• National Park Service
• US Fish & Wildlife Service
• US Forest Service
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• US Army of Corps of Engineers

Depending on the type of entrance fee charged at a site, covers One private vehicle fee or Four per person fees

America the Beautiful Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen . Passholders must show valid photo identification (ID) with each pass.

How to Get an America the Beautiful Pass

In person (recommended).

Passes can be purchased or picked up at over 1,000 federal recreation sites.

Purchase and pickup locations

Order Online, Receive by Mail

To receive your pass by mail, order online at the USGS Online Store or by phone: 1-888-275-8747 , extension 1. Hours of operation are 8 am to 4 pm Mountain Time.

Visiting soon? Pick up a pass when you arrive.

America the Beautiful Passes ordered online through the USGS Online Store may take up to three weeks to be processed and delivered. Get your pass at one of over 1,000 purchase and pickup locations to avoid the wait.

Senior Passes

US citizens and permanent residents ages 62 and older can purchase an annual America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass for $20.00, or a lifetime version for $80.00. Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship.

• The Senior Pass may provide a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and specialized interpretive services.
• The Senior Pass generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
• Passes may not be purchased as gifts since eligible recipient must show proof of eligibility.

Annual Senior Pass

Lifetime senior pass, golden age passports and golden access passports.

Golden Age Passports and Golden Access Passports are no longer sold. However, these passes are still honored according to the provisions of the pass.

We encourage you to exchange your Golden Age/Golden Access Passport for a current Lifetime Senior Pass for free. You can exchange in-person at sites that issue passes. Please bring your old pass and photo identification with you.

Annual Passes and Park Groups

While most annual park passes are limited to one national park, a few sites offer an annual pass valid at multiple national parks, federal recreational lands, or state parks.

Free Entrance Days

Come experience the national parks! On six days in 2024, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2024:

• January 15: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
• April 20: First day of National Park Week
• June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
• August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• September 28: National Public Lands Day
• November 11: Veterans Day

Your Fee Dollars at Work

All the money from entrance fees remains in the National Park Service, and at least 80 percent stays in the park where it was collected. Learn more about how entrance fees are used to improve the visitor experience .

Last updated: March 25, 2024

Luxor Pass And Cairo Pass Buying Guide – Updated 2023

EGYPT: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LUXOR PASS AND CAIRO PASS

The Luxor Pass & Cairo Pass are combination entry tickets to historic sites in and around both cities. They were introduced in November 2016 by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, but Egypt being Egypt, clear official documentation on the process of buying the passes is still hard to come by.

This buying guide, compiled and updated with the help of our local service providers and feedback from actual users, addresses all concerns regarding how and where to buy the Luxor and Cairo Passes and how to determine if either pass is worth buying.

Updated 24 March 2024

WHAT IS CAIRO PASS AND LUXOR PASS AND WHAT IS INCLUDED?

There are currently three passes on offer for visitors to monuments and museums in and around Cairo and Luxor.

The CAIRO PASS is valid for five consecutive days and allows visitors multiple entry to a comprehensive list of attractions ( refer Oct. update below ) in Cairo, Giza and Saqqara through the period of its validity.

The LUXOR PASS is also valid for five consecutive days and allows multiple entry to the temples, tombs and attractions in and around Luxor for the duration of its validity, but with two major exclusions: the big ticket tombs of Seti I in the Valley of the Kings and Queen Neferteri in the Valley of the Queens . These are two of the best decorated tombs in the entire necropolis.

The PREMIUM LUXOR PASS is all inclusive and allows multiple entry into all temples, tombs and attractions over five consecutive days. V isits to the Seti I and Neferteri tombs are, however, restricted to one visit per day  (x 5 days). This seems like a way to limit visitor numbers. Both tombs were closed to the public for a long time and the preservation of the vivid art they contain remains a concern.

If you buy the Cairo Pass and either one of the Luxor Passes, you can avail a 50% discount on the second pass. The discount will apply regardless of whether you buy the Cairo Pass or the Luxor Pass first.

Let us first consider value addition before we get to information on the costs of the Cairo and Luxor passes and where to buy them.

ALSO READ: EGYPT TRAVEL GUIDE – ALL YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR EGYPT TRIP

Is the luxor pass or cairo pass worth buying.

That depends on two things:

• Duration of your trip: How much you plan to do in either city and how many premium sites you choos to visit.
• Current exchange rate : The price of both passes are quoted and paid for in US Dollars or Euro and remain constant while entry fees are charged in local currency. If the Egyptian Pound slips against the Dollar at the time of your visit, the entry fees for even premier tombs might be low enough to not warrant buying the passes, especially at current (pass) prices and if you do not intend visiting too many other sites. I’d buy the passes, even with a minimal difference, for multiple access to sites and for their skip-the-line benefit.

If your plan is to do some cursory sightseeing in Cairo and then join a Nile Cruise whose itinerary includes most of the major sites in Aswan and Luxor, neither of the passes will be worth it for you. (Might be worth checking if cruise companies will consider discounts for pass holders.)

It is also unlikely you will hit enough sites on a short visit to make either of the passes worthwhile  when bought individually. Although the Luxor Pass might still be better value than the Cairo Pass. (Read latest update below).

Choosing to buy both the Cairo Pass AND the Luxor Pass lets you avail a 50% discount on the second pass amounting to a total of US$150 US$195. Discount is applicable on student passes as well (cut off age of 30).

It will still not be worthwhile if you land in Luxor first and buy and utilise the Premium Luxor Pass before the Cairo Pass. Then the discount amounts to only US$50 US$65 on the Cairo Pass equaling a total price of US$250 US$290. Unless you visit every single landmark and include a night visit to the Egyptian Museum, the Cairo pass might not be worth your while in this instance.

The discounted price of US$200 US$255 for the  Cairo Pass + the Premium Luxor Pass  ( bought in that order – more details below) is certainly greater value since it would more than cover entrance ticket costs on this ten day itinerary .

Caveat: As already mentioned above, value might fluctuate depending on currency exchange rate. Current entry fee for the two premium tombs is US$108 in total, a drop of over USD$40 since I updated this post last! (Tomb of Seti 1 = LE1400 +LE400 for VOK; Nefertari’s tomb = LE1400 + LE120 for VOQ). Here’s a link to the  ticket prices for all archaeological sites and museums in Egypt …remember to click on the ‘other nationality’ tab. Add up cost of entry to those you intend visiting in both cities and do the math yourself. Don’t forget to include even minor attractions on your list.

UPDATE OCT 2023: Prices for both passes have reportedly been hiked (find updated prices below). Many thanks to Emily for taking the time to respond with current prices – see comment section to read her full feedback. There’s been a move toward cashless entry for individual tickets. All entrance fees to Cairo & Luxor monuments (other than the passes) can now only be purchased with a credit or debit card . Cards will be charged in LE. Find prices and opening hours here …remember to click on the ‘other nationality’ tab. Note: I have not tried booking online. Please do revert with your experience if you have. Exclusions: The Workers Tombs in Giza and the new NMEC (National Museum of Civilization) are not included in the Cairo Pass any more. The Khufu Boat Museum & the Egyptian Textile Museum are permanently closed. The boat has been moved to the GEM which is partly open and also not currently included. Khufu’s Great Pyramid is currently closed to the public. Inclusions: Reports about Menkaure’s Pyramid is now open the public (in lieu of the Great Pyramid).

UPDATE DEC 2023: Fresh information from Egypt regarding validity of discount on Luxor Pass after expiry of the Cairo Pass. Many thanks to Sandra (read her detailed response in the comment section.) Discounted Luxor Premium Pass was issued in the office in Karnak Temple on presentation of the Cairo Pass 5 days after the expiration date . ❗️UPDATE MARCH 2024: The Tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens has just been closed for restoration. There is no clarity on when/whether it will reopen. This might be a significant factor in determining the value of the Luxor Pass.

CAIRO PASS PRICE

Adult: US$100 US$130/€120; Student: US$50 US$70/€60 With discount on possession of a (full price) Luxor Pass: Adult: US$70/€60; Student: US$35/€30. Payment possible in US Dollar & Euro (cash) only . Make sure you have the exact amount in NEW & UNCREASED bills.

You will not need tickets for the site you are buying the pass from. Just state your intention to buy it and you will be allowed in. There are posters stuck at ticket offices in all locations that you can point to in case something gets lost in translation.

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED

• Original passport
• A copy of the main page of your passport
• One passport sized photo (carry a couple more copies of both just in case).
• Student ID: Discounts – now only applicable to students below 30 – require the presentation of valid IDs. Preferably an  International Student Identity Card. Children between 6-12 years are, apparently, not required to present proof but it might be a good idea to have their school IDs handy.

WHERE TO BUY CAIRO PASS

• The Main Ticket Office at Giza (Mena House Gate and not the Sphinx Entrance – on all days). By all accounts, this is the easiest place to buy the pass.
• The Egyptian Museum (not sold on Fridays).
• Sales at the Zamalek office have been discontinued.
• Please Note: Cairo Pass is NOT sold anywhere in Luxor.

ALSO READ: TEN DAY EGYPT ITNERARY FOR THE FIRST TIME TRAVELLER

Luxor pass price.

Standard Luxor Pass: Adult: US$100 US$130/€120; Student: US$50 US$70/€60. With discount on possession of a (full price) Cairo Pass: Adult: US$65/€60; Student: US$35/€30. Payment possible in US$ & Euro (cash) only. Make sure you have the exact amount in cash NEW & UNCREASED bills.

As for the Cairo Pass, you do not need tickets for the site you are buying the pass from. Just state your intention to buy it and you will be allowed in. There are posters stuck at ticket offices in all locations that you can point to in case something gets lost in translation.

Same as for the standard Cairo Pass. You will not need to submit documents when buying the second pass.

PREMIUM LUXOR PASS PRICE

Premium Luxor Pass: Adult: US$200 US$250/€220 Student: US$100 US$130/€120. With discount on possession of a Cairo Pass: Adult: US$100 US$125/€110; Student: US$50 US$65/€60. Payment possible in US Dollar & Euro (cash) only. Make sure you have the exact amount in cash in NEW & UNCREASED bills.

Same as for the standard Cairo & Luxor Passes. You will not need to submit documents when buying the second pass.

WHERE TO BUY LUXOR PASS

• Sales office to the left of the ticket office at Karnak Temple (ask at the ticket counter and they will direct you).
• Sales office at the Kings’ Valley Visitor Centre (on the right, immediately after passing through the metal detector).
• Please note: Luxor Pass is NOT sold anywhere outside of Luxor.

GENERAL TIPS

• Remember to hold on to your paper pass and ensure the guards hand it back to you intact.  They might be used to discarding single-use tickets. It might help to have a small plastic sleeve to carry it in.
• While entry to all sites mentioned in the price list linked to above is guaranteed, restricted sections of a few active archeological sites on the list – like the burial chambers at the Step Pyramid in Saqqara – might still require purchase of special permits.
• The 50% discount can be availed regardless of whether you buy the Cairo Pass or the Luxor Pass first. You will not need to supply a second set of documents when you buy the second pass, but they’ll insist on seeing the actual pass. A photocopy or receipt will not suffice. .
• If you need more clarification try emailing: [email protected].

MORE EGYPT TRAVEL INSPIRATION

Pyramids Of Egypt – Facts, Myths & Practical Tips

The Historic Heart Of Cairo, Egypt – Complete Travel Guide

Egypt – The Twin Temples Of Abu Simbel

Nubian Landscapes – Best Things To Do In Aswan, Egypt

Egypt – Abydos Temple And The Raising Of The Djed

Egypt: Dendera Temple & The Zodiac Ceiling

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27 thoughts on “ Luxor Pass And Cairo Pass Buying Guide – Updated 2023 ”

Hi all! I wanted to share my recent experience with the Cairo/Luxor Pass. This page helped me so much to prepare for my un-guided Egypt trip and getting the passes so I wanted to pass on any new information!

My dad and I got the Cairo Pass from the Mena House Gate at the Giza Pyramids on February 23rd, the day after we landed. And I have to say it wasn’t a smooth process. There were no signs as to what line to stand in or who to talk to, let alone signs about the Cairo Pass in general. We stood in one line to then get sent to another line for then someone to point us in another direction. After going back and asking him one more time, he shouted “Manager, Cairo Pass,” out into the crowd. Finally someone came up to talk to us and took everything we had. He originally said the passes were $140 per person, which I didn’t correct him on, because I wasn’t sure if it had changed or if there was some tax. He took our money and our passport copies and then went into a back room. We were left sorta standing to the side, hoping that this guy actually worked for them. When he came back out he gave us back a $20 because it was $130 each. Then it went relatively smooth.

It was so easy to use most of the time. I also found that people were relatively gentle with it when I handed it to them, but I kept ours in a passport cover for safe keeping. We were there for 5 days so we were able to go into the Pyramid Complex 3 times (as we stayed immediately next to the Sphinx entrance), Saqqara, Dashur, Memphis open Air Museum, the Cairo Citadel, Ibn Tulun Mosque, Gayer Anderson Museum, and the Cairo Museum. NOTE: the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization did not accept our Cairo Pass. We asked two different people just to check. It wasn’t a big deal but I found it interesting. We found the pass in general worth it because of the multiple entry into the Pyramids and that it made going into these places quicker. Though sometimes it was hard to find the guy who could scan us in because they don’t have barcodes on them like the normal tickets.

When we got to Luxor it also got a bit complicated. Unfortunately, we had planned to buy the Premium Luxor Pass at half off, so that we could go into the two tombs, Nefertari and Seti I. But, my dad had spent some of his US cash when we were Cairo (on things we couldn’t really help) and we couldn’t find a place to get more US cash in between Cairo and Luxor. We luckily had enough between us to buy two Standard passes at the discounted rate. So we decided to do that, and maybe buy tickets to the two other tombs. But I think this was a blessing in disguise, cause the day we landed in Luxor (March 2nd), they announced that the tomb of Nefertari was closed until further notice.

When we went to Luxor Temple it was a little chaotic to find the office for the Luxor pass, but it was way more professional than getting the Cairo Pass. After getting into the room we handed over our Cairo Passes to be able to get the discount. The man was concerned that we didn’t have stamps on our Cairo Pass. He even showed us pictures of other people’s Cairo passes with the stamp. We obviously told him that no one stamped ours when were in Cairo and he was fine with it. We also did need to give him two copies of our passport, which I had only brought one for this, but luckily had a spare copy in my bag. He took it all and stapled our passports onto the back of the ticket (which they didn’t do in Cairo). He also wrote the dates in English and Arabic. Then he took pictures of both passes and the passports and took the Cairo Passes and the safe. I was upset that I wasn’t able to keep the card.

The card worked well and it was so easy to get everywhere. The only place I saw a Luxor Pass sign was at the Luxor Museum. I was still trying to figure out how many tombs in the Valley of the Kings you can go inside because the normal ticket only allows 3. I can confirm that you can go into all of them, because they will not punch your Luxor Pass like they do the normal tickets.

So within the 5 days with the Luxor Pass we were able to do Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Mummification Museum, Luxor Museum, Hatshepsut’s temple (two times actually), Valley of the Queens (only 3 tombs open at this time), Valley of the Kings (11 out of 13 open tombs, no Seti I or Ay in the Western Valley), Valley of the Nobles (5 tombs), Al-Khokha (3 tombs), Deir el Medina (town, temple, and 4 tombs), and the Carter House.

It was a great trip and I am going to make a TikTok about how to get the Cairo/Luxor Pass for my Egypt Travel Series. Thanks so much for all the information!

Melissa, melissaindenile.com

Many thanks Melissa, so very thoughtful of you to revert with this detailed response. I’m glad you had a great trip. Disappointed to read about Nefertari’s tomb, hope I can return before the Seti I tomb gets closed as well.

Do the 5 days for the pass count from the day of purchase? Or the start counting after your first visit to one of the sights? I’m flying into Cairo and spending a day there before going to Luxor for 5 days. I’ll visit Cairo for 5 days after Luxor. I obviously want to purchase the Cairo pass first and get the discount on the Luxor premium pass and not the other way around.

Hi, can you share your experience? I’ll travel to Egypt next month. Thanks

Apologies for the belated response Jorge. I am afraid I cannot confirm this. It was initially possible to post date the pass…you needed to specify the date before purchase. But I have since read reports that validity is counted not later than the day after purchase. I would very much appreciate your reverting with your experience if you manage to get a post-dated pass so I can add the information here for future travellers.

Have a fabulous trip!

hi madhu，I would like to confirm again. Are you sure you can’t buy the Cairo Pass at the Egyptian Museum on Friday? thanks for your reply！

That’s what I understand Flora. Perhaps because Friday is a holiday and staff numbers are limited.

Is it correct you can buy both the Cairo & Luxor Passes ( The one that allows entry to the SETI 1 tomb and Nefertari tomb ) from the Mena House Gate

How long does the process take ? ( Excluding cueing )

Is there likely to be hassle ?

Hello Clive,

I’ve just updated the post with current information. No, the Luxor pass cannot be bought anywhere in Cairo. Hard to predict how long the process will take on any given day, depends a lot on the mood of the attending staff. It should take less than 30 min. You could request to collect it at the end of your visit (of the museum or pyramids) if processing appears to take long. I’m reading that they do allow it. Be sure not to leave without your original passport.

Much apologies for the belated response. Enjoy your trip.

I just returned from Egypt yesterday. As at 1 July prices for the passes have gone up: – Cairo: $130 for adult pass – Luxor: $130 USD/120 euro adult, $70 USD/60 euro student – Luxor premium pass: $250 USD/220 euro adult, $130 USD/130 euro student

Also you have to be under 30 for the student rates. I am 30, places in cairo accepted my student card but places in luxor did not

Emily, apologies for the belated response. I just retrieved your comment from my spam folder.

Many thanks for taking the trouble to let me know about the changes. Shall update the post accordingly. Hope you had a fabulous trip? I’m awaiting the completion of the Grand Egyptian Museum to plan a return.

Do you know where to buy the Cairo Pass and the Luxor Premium Pass

Besides Passport, Copy Passport and 2 x Passport Photos

Is anything else required ?

Sent from my iPhone >

Thanks that’s very helpful

Are you able to tell the Size of the Cairo & Luxor Premium Passes

Is it possible to buy 1-2 days in advance and have them date stamped for the commencement date

Hello Clive, Dimensions of all passes are 72mm (height) by 112mm (width) exactly (if you use inches, please use online calculator to convert). All passes look like entrance tickets, actually a peace of higher quality paper, with empty fields to be fulfilled by buyer – full name, nationality, passport number and signature. Officer writes in on spot validation dates – valid from – to, put his signature and stamp that covers half your picture half pass area. And that’s it.

When it comes to possibility to order, buy in advance for specific dates, answer is no… Unfortunately. It’s issued on the spot, in person, payment in cash only, exact amount, new bills.

What happened to us in Luxor when getting this premium pass was this – because we arrived from Aswan and in hurry to get passes asap, we arrived at 4.35pm at Karnak office (closing at 5pm), and only because it was late for seing attractions for the day, he asked us politely do we want him to put tomorrow date as the staring day for using passes.

Thanks a lot that most useful

Sent from my iPhone

on google maps review section for location word “Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities” shows a reviewer commenting 2months ago that Luxor pass is not purchasable at that location in Cairo anymore (with a picture). Since your site shows update as of March 2023, are you able to comment if this is true or not? Do you a have any resources to further check where else in Cairo to get luxor pass? thanks!! great write-up btw.

George, apologies for the belated response. There does appear to be some issue with buying both passes at the Zamalek office as well as at the Citadel. You might be better off buying the Cairo pass in Giza (Mena House Gate – on all days) or at the museum (not sold on Friday) and the Luxor pass in Karnak temple in Luxor.

Very informative, thanks for sharing. If I buy Cairo Pass first in Cairo and then buy Luxor Pass in Luxor, does the Cairo Pass have to be still valid to get the discount on Luxor Pass? I plan to be at Luxor eight days after buying Cairo Pass. I saw a comment elsewhere that discount was denied in Luxor because Cairo Pass expired.

Thank you Sobhan. And good question. I cannot imagine how the Cairo card can remain valid once it’s used! But logic isn’t the strongpoint of bureaucracies that work these systems. Am guessing the time between the two is the issue. Can you use/activate the Cairo Pass just before your arrival in Luxor? If not, you’ll have to buy the Luxor Pass along with the Cairo Pass at the Zamalek office. You could also try emailing the tourism office (id included above) or comment on their IG/FB posts for more clarity…I’ve read responses:) Shall try and check myself but do let me know how it goes so I can update this page.

Thanks Madhu, I appreciate taking time to respond. I will visit Aswan after Cairo & finally stop at Luxor, so the Cairo pass can’t be activated/used just before arriving at Luxor, and even if I did visit Luxor right after Cairo, I would have used/exhausted it anyways. As you rightly said, logic doesn’t make sense in Egypt and apparently tipping aka bribing is the way out in most situations. I will try Twitter/FB as suggested and will update the forum if I get any response. Spending $100 more is not a deal breaker in the grand scheme of it but I am trying to weed out unknowns, unpleasant surprises and anxieties as much as possible. Thanks again.

Sobhan, not sure if this is too late for you, I can now confirm that it is not possible to post-date a pass. But the discount on the Luxor pass will apply on presentation of proof of purchase of the Cairo Pass used up to a week before arrival in Luxor.

I am replying to your message dated 13/10/2023 here, since the Reply button under that message is somehow missing. I am visiting next month, so it’s not late, thanks a lot for getting back with the update. Does the 7 day rule count from the day of purchase or last day of validity? I will buy Cairo Pass on 22/11/2023 and last day of use will be 25/11/2023. I will arrive Luxor on 29/11/2023. Can I get discount on Luxor Pass?

Ha it isn’t a 7 day rule as much as confirmation from three visitors having bought the Luxor Pass seven days after the day of purchase of the Cairo Pass. You’ll have a few extra days. Don’t see why it shouldn’t work. I am reading reports of some staff allowing use of the pass from the day after purchase but nothing seems guaranteed. Might be the luck of the draw. If the Egyptian Pound drops further against the dollar the value of the pass might be limited to its multi visit benefit. (Still worth it for me if/when I return). Anyway, hope it works out for you.

“discount on the Luxor Pass will apply on presentation of proof of purchase of the Cairo Pass used upto a week before arrival in Luxor” – is this really true?? so if I buy Cairo pass in late November, then go around Egypt to Sharm, Dahab and Aswan for a week, and end up in Luxor in early December, it means I will still have to pay 250$ for premium pass?? it’s insane and shocking news for me as I’ve already planned my trip to the details. Is that info can be read somewhere, on some site….? Thanks.

Sandra, I’m afraid there is no clear information to be found anywhere. As explained to Sobhan above, you SHOULD still be able to avail the discount on the Luxor pass if you can show proof of purchase and reason for buying later. I know from three other travellers that they were able to get the discounts a week later ie two days after the expiry of the Cairo Pass. I don’t see why a few more days should matter. But this is Egypt and I do not want to tell you it is definitely possible without knowing for certain.

Hello, fresh information from Egypt for Cairo and Luxor passes. Returned from 16 days trip and situation for us was this: we (group of 3) encountered problem on Saturday, 25th of November when asked to buy Cairo pass in front of Cairo museum, guy just said ‘come at noon’, with no further explanation. We quickly took 30min uber ride to Giza plateau and 10 min after arrival we all had passes in hands, just like that, so easy (one photo 3 4cm, one copy of main passport page for each, and new bills, exact sum…. here I payed in us$, 3 130=390$). This means Cairo pass expired on Wednesday 29th November.

5 days after its expiration date, on Monday 4th of December we reached Karnak temple Luxor pass office, asked for premium one, showed Cairo passes (all were in plastic protective transparent sleeves we brought from home, which proved as very convenient and very important, for protection), and after paying 330eur (they accept both euros and dollars, no problem with that), we got premium passes for just 110 euro each, which was super cheap when we found out that tickets prices went up 50% from 1st of December. We stayed 5 full days in Luxor and used our passes to the fullest.

On both sites, Giza plateau and Karnak temple, to get passes we were asked for each: 1 photo (we had 4 just in case they ask for 2), 1 copy of passport main page, and exact amount, euros or us$, does not matter, they accept both (as I already said). I had special handmade strong cardboard case where I took all bills I got previously from my bank for passes, so both officers were very satisfied with that aspect 🙂

Sandra, very thoughtful of you to revert with your experience to help future travellers. Much appreciated.

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Tourism | Orange County tourist-tax collections hit…

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Tourism | Orange County tourist-tax collections hit record $40 million in March

With 2023-24 half over, predictions of a down year have not materialized.

Halfway through the fiscal year, the Tourist Development Tax — TDT for short — is a smidge behind last year’s best-ever pace, which brought in $359 million, but well ahead of Comptroller Phil Diamond’s conservative forecast for 2023-24, which predicted a year-over-year drop of about 7.5% and a total haul of $330 million.

If the strong performance continues, that would give the county more money than expected to spend on projects and programs. Already, the tourist tax is being tapped to pay for the latest Convention Center expansion, the Camping World Stadium renovation and the University of Central Florida’s football stadium tower.

“It’s nice to see it’s turning up,” Diamond said Monday. “But we’re only halfway through the [fiscal] year.”

Still, the signs are strong.

Through March, fiscal year 2023-24 has generated $194.2 million, just $28,900 less than the first half of 2022-23. Collections in March 2024 totaled $40.55 million, compared to the $38.9 million generated in March 2023, the previous best TDT month ever.

Tourist-tax receipts, generated by a 6% levy added to the cost of a hotel room or other short-term lodging, are generally considered a gauge of tourism’s health.

Diamond nonetheless offered a cautious insight on the record March, pointing out that Easter — which usually provides a bump for tourism and tax receipts — fell in March this year but in April last year.

“So it will be important to monitor April collections,” he said, noting those figures will be available in early June.

Diamond said TDT reserves stand at more than $376 million.

Others also took notice of the monthly record.

“At Visit Orlando, we are pleased to see such a strong result in March TDT collections after enhancing our holiday and winter marketing initiatives,” said Casandra Matej, president & CEO of the tourist-tax-funded marketing agency.

The agency last month targeted Florida and travelers in a dozen out-of-state markets to stimulate summer demand. Its “Unbelievably Real” campaign featured billboards in heavily populated areas of Atlanta, Boston, Baltimore, Charlotte, New York and Washington, D.C. In New York City the push included a seven-story, 3-D digital billboard in Times Square.

Matej, who was in Los Angeles attending an international travel show, announced that Orlando welcomed 6.13 million international visitors in 2023, up 25% from 2022. She said Canada remains Orlando’s top international market with more than 1.2 million visitors traveling here last year.

“Orlando’s international growth is a testament to the uniqueness of our unbelievably real destination, the support from our travel trade partners and our emphasis on strategic marketing initiatives to help drive visitation from our key markets,” Matej said in a news release.

She said international visitor numbers have rebounded to about 94% of pre-pandemic levels.

In 2023, Orlando also welcomed 877,000 visitors from the United Kingdom; 696,000 from Brazil; and 432,000 from Mexico.

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What New Games Are On Xbox Game Pass & What Games Are Leaving (May 2024)

You should play this underrated fallout-like game before it leaves xbox game pass may 15, xbox game pass ultimate has a major discount, but you'll want to act fast.

• Get ready, Xbox Game Pass subscribers! Lords of the Fallen , a fantastic Soulslike RPG, is coming to the platform in 2024.
• Microsoft's commitment to offering a variety of games, old and new, ensures subscribers always have something exciting to play.
• With updates fixing its bugs, Lords of the Fallen is now the perfect game to play while waiting for Elden Ring 's DLC.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers are reportedly in for a treat as a fantastic Soulslike RPG may soon make its debut on the platform . As a part of its promise to consumers, Microsoft goes to great lengths to ensure that its service is always stocked with dozens upon dozens of games old and new and during the quieter months of the industry, it's often a good idea to provide users an opportunity to play any games they may have missed. Given the amount of excellent games released in 2023, it makes sense that folks may have slept on this RPG.

Per Bankier.pl , a contract between publisher CI Games and Microsoft seemingly confirms that Lords of the Fallen will make its Game Pass debut at some point in 2024 . The excellent Soulslike, developed by Hexworks, offered plenty of action-packed combat and challenging boss encounters but was unfortunately criticized at launch for the buggy state of its launch. Now that several updates have been issued to correct the technical problems, it seems like there isn't a better time to try Lords of the Fallen , especially since Game Pass subscribers won't need to pay extra for it.

Microsoft is adding several new titles to its Game Pass subscriptions in May 2024, but there are also some titles being removed.

Lords Of The Fallen Is Brutal

The perfect game to kill time until elden ring's dlc.

Serving as a reboot of the 2014 game of the same name, Lords of the Fallen will be instantly familiar to anyone who's played the Dark Souls games as it wears its inspirations on its sleeve for better or worse. With slick combat that's both faster but no less impactful and intentional, Hexwork's title boasts plenty of excellent boss encounters that are only really let down by excessive common enemies. Fortunately, many of these complaints were addressed in balance updates so the game should be significantly less frustrating now than it was at launch.

Given that the highly-anticipated expansion for Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree , is still a few months away, fans of the Soulslike genre looking to scratch that itch are in luck because Lords of the Fallen doesn't deviate much from the established formula. That may be frustrating to some but it replicates the style of FromSoftware's excellent titles with aplomb , even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of those that inspired it. A lengthy experience that's riddled with secrets and a unique plane-switching mechanic, it's definitely worth playing for curious RPG lovers.

Lords of the Fallen isn't the only CI Games title coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2024. The unearthed contract also suggests that the popular shooter Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 will also be available on the subscription service in the future. Whether it will release alongside the aforementioned Soulslike remains unknown but it should serve as a fun counter-balance to the slow-paced action of Lords of the Fallen .

Source: Bankier.pl

• Xbox Game Pass