Here are the must-see places you won’t want to miss in 2023
Travel is back on the cards for many of us, and if you’re setting your sights on travelling next year, National Geographic has you covered with its Best of the World list.
The annual list is made up of 25 destinations across five categories that are “filled with wonder, rewarding travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems”.
Amy Alipio, the senior editor for National Geographic Travel, said the hope is that 2023 marks a return to travel and rediscovering wonder.
"Because when you are awed by something, you treat it with respect. And that spirit is something we want to encourage with this list," Alipio said.
Destinations that made the list have community-led conservation efforts, heritage journeys, ways for visitors to give back, and are doing important work in ecotourism, sustainability and inclusive travel.
A new category
With that in mind, this year’s list has a new category, replacing the category of “sustainability” with “community”.
"It's about broadening the focus on the people striving for sustainable destinations and the various ways that manifests, from making travel more accessible to supporting local businesses," Alipio said.
The five destinations recognised under “community” are:
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Ghana, Africa, praised as an important destination for Black heritage travellers
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Alberta, Canada, noted as leaders in Indigenous tourism and educating travellers in the stories and ways of life of First Nations people
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Laos, recognised for introducing a new high-speed train that is making lesser-known regions more accessible to tourists and providing more economic opportunities for locals
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which makes the list for its support of the creative community, including the opening of a cultural centre focused on African American art
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The Dodecanese Islands, Greece, a standout for women-led ventures in sustainable tourism.
Along with community, the remaining categories include nature, culture, adventure and family.
Destinations that made the list under these categories include the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum outside Cairo, as well as Charleston, South Carolina, which will be home to the International African American Museum that opens in January.
Programs aimed to rehabilitate endangered species and restore original landscapes saw Botswana and the Scottish Highlands make the list under the “nature” category along with Slovenia, which was recognised as a “longtime leader in sustainable tourism”.
The five locales that made the list for promising adventure span the globe, including New Zealand, the Austrian Alps, and Choquequirao in Peru.
For those looking for places to visit that the whole family can enjoy, the “family” category promises that in spades.
Colombia, the location of Disney’s Encanto, made the list not just for its fictional depiction, but also as an avian paradise that is perfect for birdwatching.
To find out more about the destinations that made the list, head here.
National Geographic’s Best of the World 2023 list:
Culture
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Appian Way, Italy
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Busan, South Korea
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Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China
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Egypt
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Charleston, South Carolina
Nature
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Scottish Highlands
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Botswana
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Slovenia
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Big Bend National Park, Texas
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Azores
Adventure
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New Zealand
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Choquequirao, Peru
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Utah
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Austrian Alps
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Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico
Community
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Dodecanese Islands, Greece
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Alberta, Canada
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Laos
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Ghana
Family
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Trinidad & Tobago
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San Francisco Crosstown Trail, California
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Colombia
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Manchester, United Kingdom
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Switzerland
Image: Getty Images