World Tourism Hotspots for 2008
Hotspots for 2008
by Peter Graham
by Peter Graham
Pack your bags and get ready - 2008 is going to be a mighty exciting year for travel. All indications are that the huge growth in international tourism will continue this year - and travellers will continue to seek out new and interesting destinations. So, come along with us as we unveil the destinations we believe will be the most sought-after in the 12 months ahead.
If you think Las Vegas is only for conventioneers and gamblers, you're making a mighty mistake. This city in the desert has reinvented itself as one of the hottest spots on the planet. Memories of the "good old days" when Frank Sinatra and the 'brat pack' ruled the salons have all but disappeared as a flood of new celebrities take over Vegas and have turned it into their favourite hangout. On almost any night of the week you can spot Hollywood stars and famous faces partying away in exclusive nightclubs and restaurants.
After a dull patch in the 1980s, Las Vegas began its reincarnation by building massive new casino resorts along Las Vegas Boulevard (known as 'the Strip'). In the late 90's, the emphasis was on family entertainment, with the casinos taking a backseat to lavish themed hotels and children-friendly attractions. The latest push is to lure the trendy hipsters from the cities and those that follow them.
Now overflowing with some of the best hotels in the world, fabulous shopping centres, the finest restaurants and the hottest nightclubs, Vegas has emerged as a true international hotspot. It's where Britney and Paris Hilton do a lot of their club-crawling and where the hip-hop elite and football stars choose to party.
If you want to meet the right crowd, start off at Bette Midler's show at Caesar's Palace (it runs throughout 2008) and then head for the two top nightclubs, Rain and Ghostbar, at the Palms Casino Resort. But don’t forget to take in the lavish spas, the designer boutiques, the celebrity chefs and the megastar openings. In truth, there’s nothing to touch Las Vegas.
A collection of 1190 coral islands in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has been topping lists of tropical island hotspots for so long that one is almost tempted to find an alternative destination to take over the mantle of the 'last paradise on earth'. It would be almost unthinkable, but there are some contenders.
For starters, there are the unspoilt islands off the coast of New Zealand. They are wild and beautiful. And what about great value offered on jungle-clad islands like Phuket and Koh Samui in amazing Thailand? Mauritius is back in favour with its strikingly refurbished resorts and designer golf courses, while the laid-back Seychelles is a global leader in eco-friendly resorts at harmony with nature. Surely one should consider the Greek Islands? And, with President Fidel Castro's power waning, surely Cuba is going to be the place to visit?
The truth is that while all these destinations offer stunning holidays, the Maldives remain the epitome of the tropical island dream. With islands to themselves, resorts can perfect the image of barefoot luxury. And, with flawless beaches and clear aquamarine water on all sides, it's very hard to go wrong.
Also, Maldivian resorts continue to lead the way when it comes to innovation. Whether it be glass-bottomed spas, underwater restaurants, candlelit dinners in the sea or the world's most luxurious overwater villas, the Maldives did it first. And while others scramble to catch up, they have even more tricks up their sleeve. The dream lives on.
With the Olympic Games being held in Beijing and this vast country continuing to open up to enthralled visitors, China remains one of the top travel destinations for 2008. Don't think you've seen China once you've been to the Forbidden City and the Great Wall - there are so many interesting places that the country will remain a hotspot for many years to come. Although the focus will rightly be on what promises to be a superbly-organised Olympic Games in the capital city, there are many other stunning spots to see.
You can start off with spectacular Guilin, with its stunning landscape, or travel to Xian to see the amazing Terracota warriors and the start of the famous Silk Road. If you yearn for the China of old, head for Lijiang, a remarkably well-preserved city in Yunnan province. Its' small streets are lined with thousands of willow trees and there are more than 300 bridges.
Near Kunming you'll find the Dian Chi Lake and the Stone Forest, limestone karsts that cover 300 square kilometres. Go to Chengdu and you can see the world’s largest group of giant pandas. In fact, you can name any city in China and you are bound to find a fascinating attraction nearby. Have you got the message yet? China is a red-hot destination, so get there before everyone else.
It’s impossible to ignore the transformation that’s been taking place in the Middle East. First, it was Dubai, which turned a fishing village in the desert into a skyscraper-laden tourist mecca. The city’s visionaries managed to achieve what others dream of – a snow ski-slope in one of the hottest places on earth, a desert golf course, vast shopping malls dripping with gold and designer goods, the world’s first six-star hotel and, now, a building so tall that it veritably dwarfs its rivals.
Then the Kingdom of Bahrain got into the act. Once the seat of an ancient trading empire, it liberalised its laws and established itself as an international banking centre. The skyscrapers rose, islands were developed and women were given the vote, but it was the staging of a Formula One Grand Prix that really put it on the map. A spectacular race track was built in 2004 and now the world media spotlight lights up the city once a year for the 'duel in the desert'.
Abu Dhabi may have been lagging behind its counterparts, but it is now transforming itself into one of the world's new culture capitals. Internationally-acclaimed architects have been commissioned to design a spectacular cultural centre on Saadiyat Island just off the city's coastline.
Not only will it be home to a Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry, it will also have the only branch of France's famed Louvre Museum. Under an agreement with the French, several hundred artworks from Paris will be exhibited at the Abu Dhabi showpiece. The museum will also spend millions on new masterpieces.
The complex will also have a performing arts centre the size of New York's Lincoln Centre, a massive maritime museum and a Biennale Park with 19 galleries traversed by a navigable canal. To cope with the tourist influx, 29 new hotels are planned, as well as a big marina. There's no doubt that Abu Dhabi is set to join - and perhaps overtake - Dubai and Bahrain as jet-set hotspots.
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Beijing, China
Wangfujing Grand Hotel enjoys a perfect location within walking distance of the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Beihai Park and a cluster of cultural and historical sites. The imposing 14-storey hotel has 399 comfortable rooms, all with broadband Internet and satellite television. With five restaurants, a business centre, a fully-equipped gymnasium, an indoor swimming pool, sauna and beauty salon, your every need is catered for.
Rooms from only US$105 per night
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