National Geographic reveals its top destinations for 2023

(CNN) – It’s never too early to start planning next year’s big outings.

National Geographic is also getting an early start, releasing its World’s Best list in late October with 25 must-see destinations for 2023.

Respect for people and their culture, the land and its preservation is an overarching theme of the list, which is divided into five official categories.

Amy Alipio, senior editor at National Geographic Travel, said the hope is that 2023 will be a great return to not only travel but also the wonder of rediscovery.

“Because when something scares you, you respect it. And that spirit is something we want to encourage with this list,” said Alipio.

The list focuses on destinations that have made significant work in ecotourism, sustainability and inclusive travel, as well as community-led conservation efforts, healing and heritage journeys, and ways for travelers to give back.

A young nang keo dancer performs in Luang Prabang, Laos’ former imperial capital, now accessible by high-speed train.

Kike Calvo/Nat Geo Image Collection

looking after the community

National Geographic added a new category to its list this year, replacing “sustainability” with a broader “community” category.

“It’s about expanding the focus on people striving for sustainable destinations and ways to make travel more accessible to supporting local businesses,” Alipio says. Said.

Sustainability has touched each category a little more. The other four categories are nature, culture, adventure and family.

The five goals listed under “Community” represent various strengths.

Ghana is listed as a major destination for Black heritage travelers in West Africa.

Alberta, Canada also makes the list.

“They’ve become a leader in domestic tourism, basically enabling travelers to learn about the stories and ways of life of First Nations in North America,” and their vibrant, contemporary culture, Alipio said.

A new high-speed train in Laos makes the country more accessible to visitors and offers economic opportunities to locals.

The Great Lakes city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has been listed in part because “truly supports its creative community,” Alipio refers to Bronzeville, which has opened a cultural center focused on African-American art.

In the Dodecanese Islands of Greece, Karpathos stands out for sustainable tourism with its female leadership.

Big openings, small crowds

The list is not without major new attractions. The long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum outside of Cairo takes its place in the “culture” category on Egypt’s 2023 list. And Charleston, South Carolina will soon be home to the International African American Museum, which will open in January.

U.S. wilderness is listed in two categories, with an emphasis on being away from the crowd.

With five national parks of great interest, Utah is in the “adventure” category partly because of its efforts to divert tourists to some of its lesser-known areas to combat overtourism.

Visit Utah has a page dedicated to responsible travel, where visitors are asked, “Am I doing my best to avoid crowded places?” Ask them to evaluate their effects with questions such as: State parks, including Dead Horse Point and Goblin Valley, are located near one or more of Utah’s five magnificent national parks.

Big Bend National Park in Texas is 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 hosted 4.9 million visitors, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosted 14.1 million recreational visits in 2021.

Slovenia, a “long-time leader in sustainable tourism”, pairs its bike trails with visits to vineyards, cheese makers and other food producers, earning itself a home in the “nature” category with a culinary bonus.

The Scottish Highlands, Portugal’s dazzling Azores volcanic archipelago, and Botswana also top the “nature” list for their efforts towards conservation and sustainability.

Young sperm whales in the waters surrounding the Azores. The Portuguese archipelago is included in National Geographic’s Best of the World list in the “nature” category.

Andy Mann/Nat Geo Image Collection

Family, adventure and culture

Colombia came to the fore with the Disney movie “Encanto”, making it a timely choice for the “family” category. In California, the Crosstown Trail in San Francisco is another perfect spot for family adventure.

Speaking of “adventure,” this category also includes Choquequirao, Peru, an Inca site rivaling Machu Picchu that has become more accessible and promoted economic development.

And New Zealand, long a capital of adventure, tops the list as excitement grows with the resurgence of travel.

The Austrian Alps also offer great opportunities for adventure within the Bergsteigerdörfer network of 29 mountaineering villages.

Asia, which has been slower to reopen after the pandemic, stands out in the “culture” category. Busan, South Korea is in the category of boutique beers presented to Asia’s best film festival.

While China remains closed to international tourism, Longmen Caves in Henan Province is also on the “culture” list as new technology highlights the world’s largest collection of stone sculptures.

For more of National Geographic’s Best of the World list, visit their website.

Elephants graze among the lush waterways of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, which is in the “nature” category.

Beverly Joubert/Nat Geo Image Collection

National Geographic’s World’s Best of 2023 list:

CULTURE

Appian Way, Italy
Busan, South Korea
Longmen Caves, Henan Province, China
Sweetcorn
Charleston, South Carolina

NATURE

Scottish Highlands
Botswana
Slovenia
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Azores

ADVENTURE

New Zeland
Choquequirao, Peru
Utah
Austrian Alps
Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico

SOCIETY

Dodecanese Islands, Greece
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Alberta, Canada
Laos
Ghana

FAMILY

Trinidad & Tobago
San Francisco Crosstown Road, California
Colombia
Manchester, United Kingdom
Switzerland

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