eBusiness Weekly
In an era of social and political movements propelled by fear and resentment of others, travel is more crucial than ever. After all, if you leave home to experience some place else, you’re liable to pick up some appreciation for how life is lived there. Before you know it, that could develop into a full-blown case of empathy — the antidote to knee jerk bias.
A model for the best kind of traveller — curious, adventurous, full of gusto, and bullish on diversity — was renegade chef, author, and TV host Anthony Bourdain, who died in June 2018.
“(Travel) changes you,” he wrote in his book “No Reservations”.
“It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
Zimbabwe
With a new regime in charge following Former president Robert Mugabe’s demise, Zimbabweans, as well as many visitors, remain guardedly hopeful. For too many years, tourists substituted Zambia for Zimbabwe on their southern African itineraries, but once an expansion of Victoria Falls International Airport enabled more flights and wide-body aircraft to land, arrivals surged 25 percent in the first half of 2018, and that number may rise as tourists avoid Tanzania for its recent human rights abuses. In addition to the newfound benefits of political stability and added access, credit relatively low prices — a Zimbabwe trip can cost one-third less than comparable travels in neighbouring Botswana.
But the wilderness is just as incredible. In Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s biggest national reserve, you might see 60 elephants in a single day — Hwange’s 45 000-elephant herd is among the largest left in Africa. The 14 500 square kilometre expanse, which is roughly the size of Connecticut, has primarily lured only seasoned safari-goers, but that is about to change as Zimbabwe re-emerges as a wildlife destination worthy of Africa’s short list.
Another plus: Victoria Falls, the world’s largest waterfall based on volume, churns for more than 1,6km between Zambia and Zimbabwe. In just the right light, the spray births rainbows, a fitting metaphor for the future promise of Zimbabwe tourism. — Candyce H. Stapen.
Disney Parks
A long time ago in our own galaxy, the United States landed human beings on the moon for the first time, but the memory is so far, far away that to many, it might as well be a movie. July 2019 marks the Golden Anniversary of the moment America reached for the heavens and touched them, an awesome chapter in US history that most people have come to take for granted.
Attractions abound: At the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the late Neil Armstrong’s small-stepping spacesuit goes on display, and at Space Centre Houston, the original control room is undergoing restoration to its 1969 appearance.
But the most events are going down where Apollo went up — Kennedy Space Centre on Florida’s Space Coast, where the original launch pad, astronauts’ walkway to the moon rockets, and a horde of Apollo-era equipment will once again take the spotlight. Since 2019 is also NASA’s 60th anniversary, it’s hoped that surviving moon luminaries like Buzz Aldrin will make appearances, too.
But 2019’s most anticipated celebration of space travel is opening on two coasts. Twin, 14-acre Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge areas will be unveiled at Disneyland (in the summer) and Orlando (in the autumn). The additions, which together cost a reported $1 billion, depict Black Spire, a smuggler’s-den outpost on the fictitious planet of Batuu (pictured in a pre-construction model), where theme park guests can evade the First Order on one elaborate ride and pilot the Millennium Falcon (firing blasters, flipping switches, and all) on another.
At Walt Disney World, in an amusement park breakthrough enabled by tracking technology, how guests perform on their rides will determine their interactions with role-playing cast members throughout the rest of the land. For the first few years of their operation, expect elbow room at Galaxy’s Edge to be as tight as an Apollo capsule. Perhaps Americans have not forgotten how to be inspired by their capacity for breakthroughs and explorations after all. —Jason Cochran.
Collioure, France
While the French hold it dear to their hearts, this tiny and ancient Mediterranean town is mostly undiscovered by foreign travellers, as it’s often overshadowed by France’s more bougie and touristy Côte d’Azur. Long a hub for art and anchovies, Collioure is located where the Pyrenees slide into the sea — 21km from Spain and in the heart of French Catalonia.
At the beginning of the 20th century, this was where the Fauvism art movement was born, summoning the likes of Henri Matisse and André Derain. Think of Matisse’s famous Open Window (1905), with its candy-coloured shutters, flowerpots, and fishing boats, and you’ll get a good idea of the laid-back, whimsical vibes Collioure embodies. Art lovers can follow a trail marked with bronze frames outlining the views captured by the Fauvists or visit the many contemporary studios tucked into pastel alleyways.
And those fishing boats? At one time, Collioure claimed to catch the world’s best anchovies. Two relics of that prosperous era remain: Anchois Roques and La Maison Desclaux. At the latter anchovy house, you can watch employees debone the fish, a delicate process still better done by hand than machine.
Other historic sites packed around the little harbour include the 13th-century Château Royal de Collioure — once the seat of Majorcan Kings — and the 17th-century Notre-Dame-des-Anges, surrounded on three sides by water with an iconic tower that defines the skyline. Visit before the rest of the world discovers its charms. — Alex Cipolle.
Egypt
Call it a comeback with caveats. Tourism is once again on the upswing in Egypt, a bucket-list mainstay that has nevertheless seen a decrease in international visits due to political unrest and terrorist violence following the 2011 overthrow of dictator Hosni Mubarak. But as the situation has grown more stable in the last couple of years, travellers have begun to return — an inevitability, given the country’s storied ancient monuments, exciting capital city of Cairo, and impressive beach resorts at Sharm el-Sheikh in South Sinai.
There are still regions you’d be wise to avoid, including the sparsely populated Western Desert (never a huge draw anyway) and northern Sinai Peninsula, where extremists continue to pose a threat. Additionally, many women visitors have complained of widespread verbal harassment, and the government has been known to jail out-of-towners who criticise the regime online.
That said, security has been beefed up considerably at all the major tourist areas, which should give you some peace of mind to go along with your awestruck goggling at legendary Nile-side sites such as the Pyramids of Giza and the pharaohs’ tombs and temples in Luxor.
Starting in late 2018 and carrying into 2019, the $1 billion Grand Egyptian Museum begins opening in stages. It’s a massive trove of artefacts (the King Tut collection alone encompasses around 3 500 items) housed in a gleaming, glass-fronted building overlooking the pyramids. Luxury hotel brands are showing faith in the rebound, too, as St. Regis adds a new presence in Cairo. And an exchange rate that remains favourable to Western tourists puts all that pharaonic ritz within reach. —Zac Thompson.
Tahiti
French Polynesia, best known for the lush green islands and blue lagoons of Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora, is a dream destination for many. But limited air service and hotel rates for those iconic overwater bungalows have made this paradise hard to reach and hard to afford. In late 2018, though, that changed.
Both United Airlines and discount French airline French Bee began offering nonstop service from the USA to Papeete, Tahiti — finally introducing some competition for Air Tahiti Nui, and leading to significant price drops.
The Austral Islands, a seven-isle chain some 563km south of Tahiti, are an affordable and delightful alternative to the luxury resorts on the main Society Islands. On Tubuai, Rurutu, Raivavae, and Rimatara, family-run inns with beachfront bungalows and small hotels provide moderately priced lodging — some for under $100 a night. That’s less than a tenth of what you’ll pay for an overwater bungalow on Bora Bora and is a big enough discount to offset the cost of Air Tahiti’s short connecting flights from Papeete.
On the islands, volcanic hills and fringing reefs form the scenic backdrop to tiny villages, where a grand total of 6 500 year-round inhabitants live in coral limestone cottages and produce traditional arts and crafts. Dotted with sandy coves and intriguing caves in fossil coral cliffs (like Toarutu, known as the Monster’s Mouth), Rurutu also beckons to travellers with a unique opportunity to view migratory southern humpback whales. Visitors can swim in the same crystal-clear waters where those huge sea mammals nurse their young. — Jeanne Cooper.
Pixabay Singapore
The hit movie “Crazy Rich Asians” made Singapore a star. Sweeping shots of the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool and about 50 metres “Supertrees” planted with vertical gardens inspired viewers to add this futuristic hotspot to their wish lists. The publicity was perfect timing for the globe’s only island city-state. Next year marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of modern Singapore by the British, and the former colony is springboarding off its bicentennial to honour the 500 years that came before Sir Stamford Raffles even landed.
Around town, historical trails and public projection installations will supplement exhibits from various museums. The eponymous Raffles hotel, the world-famous 19th-century institution, is reopening in mid-2019 after a lengthy renovation.
In addition, Singapore Airlines has re-established the world’s longest flight — Newark to Singapore — at close to 19 hours, and fliers will pray for delays at the consistently award-winning Changi Airport, where in 2019, a $1,7 billion expansion will add crucial improvements such as a 40-metre indoor waterfall.
It’s true that some travellers have criticised this Southeast Asian destination as too “Western”, but they overlook the distinct fusion of Chinese, Malay, and Indian traditions that runs beneath the lacquer of high-rise prosperity. The city even has four official languages — English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil — though the irrepressible patois, “Singlish”, melds all of these tongues and more.
Visitors will find it easiest to learn Singapore’s fifth language: food. Hawker centres, outdoor food courts serving regional delicacies, may soon be nominated for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status. They’re also where frugal tourists can find the most inexpensive Michelin-starred restaurant on Earth: Hawker Chan’s acclaimed soy sauce chicken is a crazy-cheap US$1,80. —Dika Lam.
Frommers.com
