Lonely Planet has released its traditional annual guide to the best travel destinations around the world, along with travel tips for 2022, hoping that the pandemic situation will allow the tourism sector to reopen. According to the Lonely Planet team, the best travel destinations are determined among countries, regions, and cities that "offer numerous breathtaking experiences for inspiration and excitement". They stated, "As the pandemic continues to affect the world, we strive to balance travel and safety, recognizing our boundless desire to travel; thus, our list for 2022 is dedicated to the future. This is as much a wish list as it is a list of places you can visit now."
Here is the complete list, topped by the Cook Islands (in the country category), the natural landscapes of the Icelandic Westfjords (in the region category), and Auckland in New Zealand (within the city category). Last year, at the peak of the pandemic and amidst travel restrictions, Lonely Planet released its 2021 edition celebrating sustainable and local travel.
**Best Destinations for the New Year:**
- Cook Islands: Located in the South Pacific, between Australia and the west coast of South America, this is an archipelago of 15 islands.
- Norway
- Mauritius
- Belize
- Slovenia
- Anguilla Island
- Oman
- Nepal
- Malawi
- Egypt
The guide also recommended visiting the following cities as the best:
- Auckland, New Zealand: The most populous city in New Zealand enjoys a vibrant urban atmosphere and easy access to beaches and natural reserves. The guide states, "It is no surprise that Auckland is consistently referred to as one of the best cities in the world in terms of quality of life."
- Taipei, Taiwan
- Freiburg, Germany
- Atlanta, USA
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Nicosia, Cyprus
- Dublin, Ireland
- Merida, Mexico
- Florence, Italy
- Gyeongju, South Korea
According to Lonely Planet, the Westfjords in Iceland is the place where "Icelandic landscapes reach their peak and mass tourism disappears," as the mountainous region includes beaches, fjords, and waterfalls.
As for the other favorite regions for 2022:
- West Virginia, USA
- Zishuangbanna, China
- Kent Coast, UK
- Puerto Rico, USA
- Shikoku, Japan
- Atacama Desert, Chile
- Scenic Rim, Australia
- Vancouver Island, Canada
- Burgundy, France.
