National Geographic reveals its top destinations for 2023

It’s never too early to start planning next year’s big trips. National Geographic is getting an early start, too, releasing its World’s Best list in late October of 25 must-see destinations for 2023. Respect — about people and their cultures, about the land and its conservation — is an overarching theme of the list, which is divided into five official categories. The hope is that 2023 will be not only a big return to travel , but also to rediscover the miracle, said Amy Alipio. senior editor for National Geographic Travel “Because when something amazes you, you treat it with respect. And that spirit is something we want to encourage with this list,” Alipio said. The list focuses on destinations that have community-led conservation efforts, healing and heritage travel and ways for travelers to give back, as well as places that are doing important work in ecotourism, sustainability and inclusive travel. Looking at community, National Geographic has introduced a new category to this year’s list, replacing “sustainability” with a broader “community” category. It’s about broadening the focus on people striving for sustainable destinations and the different ways that manifests itself, from making travel more accessible to supporting local businesses,” Alipio said. Sustainability is woven into every category a little more. The other four categories are nature, culture, adventure and family. The five destinations listed under the heading ‘community’ represent a diverse range of strengths. Ghana is ranked as an important destination for travelers of black heritage in West Africa. Alberta, Canada also makes the list.”They’ve been a leader in Indigenous tourism, basically getting travelers there to learn the stories and ways of life of First Nations here in North America,” and their vibrant, contemporary cultures, he said. Alipio In Laos, a new high-speed train is making the country more accessible to visitors and bringing economic opportunities to locals. City of Ma Lakes and of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is listed in part because it has been “really supportive of its creative community,” Alipio said, citing Bronzeville, which is opening a cultural center focused on African-American art. .And in the Dodecanese islands of Greece, Karpathos is a sustainable tourism with female leadership. Big Openings, Small Crowds The list isn’t without big new attractions. The much-anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum outside Cairo features on Egypt’s entry on the 2023 list in the “culture” category. And Charleston, South Carolina, will soon be home to the International African American Museum, which will open in January. US wilderness features listed in two categories, with an emphasis on getting away from the crowds. Utah, where five national parks are a big draw, appears in the “adventure” category in part for its efforts to steer tourists to some of its lesser-known areas to combat overtourism. Visit Utah has a page dedicated to responsible travel that asks visitors to consider their impact with questions including “Am I doing what I can to avoid crowded places?” State parks including Dead Horse Point and Goblin Valley are located near one or more of Utah’s five spectacular national parks. Big Bend National Park in Texas appears in the “nature” category. While Big Bend hosted a record 581,000 recreational visits in 2021, it was still far less visited than some of the United States’ most popular national parks. Yellowstone welcomed 4.9 million visitors and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomed 14.1 million recreational visits in 2021. Slovenia, “a long-time leader in sustainable tourism,” is combining cycling trails with visits to vineyards, cheesemakers and producers others food in a way that earns it a place in the “nature” category with a culinary bonus. The Scottish Highlands, Portugal’s dazzling volcanic archipelago of the Azores and Botswana also make the “nature” list for their efforts towards conservation and sustainability. Family, adventure and culture Colombia has been in the spotlight with Disney’s Encanto, making it a timely choice for the family category. In California, San Francisco’s Crosstown Trail is another perfect spot for family adventure. Speaking of “adventure,” this category also includes Choquequirao, Peru, an Inca site to rival Machu Picchu that’s becoming more accessible and driving economic development. And New Zealand, long an adventure capital, makes the list as excitement builds with the resurgence of travel. The Austrian Alps also offer excellent opportunities for adventure within the Bergsteigerdörfer network of 29 mountain villages. Asia, which has been slower to reopen from the pandemic, features prominently in the “culture” category. Busan, South Korea, features in the category for craft offerings at Asia’s top film festival. While China remains closed to international tourism, its Longmen Cave in Henan province also makes the ‘culture’ list as new technology draws attention to the world’s largest collection of stone statues. For more from the world’s best list of National Geographic, visit their website National Geographic’s Best of the World 2023 List: CULTUREAppian Way, ItalyBusan, South KoreaLongmen Caves, Henan Province, ChinaEgyptCharleston, South CarolinaNATURESScottish HighlandsTwins Bend National Park, TexasAzores ADVENTURENZeland New Choquequirao, PeruUtah National Park Austrian Alps Revillagigedo, Mexico COMMUNITY Dodecanese Islands, GreeceMilwaukee, WisconsinAlberta, CanadaLaosGhanaFAMILYTrinidad & T obagoSan Franciscoit United Kingdom United California