PHILADELPHIA – With the publication of its annual Best Trips list, National Geographic announces the 25 must-see destinations and travel experiences for 2020. Within the list, 17 of the 25 destinations were nominated, researched, reported, and written in collaboration with National Geographic Traveler magazine’s 17 international editorial teams. Philadelphia was selected in the City category.
With a goal to bring readers a global itinerary of destinations to discover and transformative experiences to seek in the new year, the list champions National Geographic’s sustainable tourism goals, which include supporting cultural engagement, community benefit, geographic and thematic diversity, affordability and value. The list is organized into four general categories: Culture, City, Nature, and Adventure.
“Best Trips is our annual list of where to go, what to know and how to see the world in the year ahead,” says George Stone, Executive Editor, Travel. “The list features 25 timely and global destinations and experiences that make for a year of transformative travels. To build the list we worked with National Geographic editors around the world as well as photographers, writers, explorers and, of course, passionate travelers to report on the essential sites to see and places to be in 2020.”
“We’re thrilled that Philadelphia is featured so prominently and beautifully in this influential publication that we know drives travel decisions,” said Jeff Guaracino, VISIT PHILADELPHIA® president and CEO. “In 2005, National Geographic Traveler called Philadelphia the ‘Next Great City’. It’s awesome to see that more than a decade later, they’re still enamored of and advocates for our historic, modern and always-evolving town.”
National Geographic’s Best Trips 2020 destinations:
CULTURE
- Asturias, Spain
- Guizhou Province, China (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler China edition)
- Gobekli Tepe, Turkey (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Turkey edition)
- Maya, Guatemala (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Latin American edition)
- Mendoza Province, Argentina
- Abu Simbel, Egypt (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Israel edition)
CITY
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Telc, Czechia (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Czechia edition)
- Fort Kochi, Kerala, India (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler India edition)
- Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Netherlands edition)
- Parma, Italy
- Puebla, Mexico
NATURE
- Magdalen Islands, Quebec, Canada
- Kalahari Desert, Botswana (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Romania edition)
- Bialowieza Forest, Belarus/Poland (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Poland edition)
- National Blue Trail, Hungary (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Hungary edition)
- Canary Islands, Spain (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Spain edition)
- Maldives (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler France edition)
- Grand Canyon, Arizona
ADVENTURE
- Tasmania, Australia (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Korea edition)
- Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Germany edition)
- Wales Way, United Kingdom (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler U.K. edition)
- Tohoku, Japan
- Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Russia edition)
- Zakouma National Park, Chad (Nominated by National Geographic Traveler Italy edition)
The Best Trips 2020 list is available online now at NatGeo.com/BestTrips, where readers will be transported to each place through iconic photography and vivid narratives. Readers will be able to dive deeper into four of the Best Trips destinations — Asturias, Philadelphia, Iles de la Madeleine and Tasmania — with full-length articles that explore the culture, history, food and terrain of each place.
National Geographic Partners LLC
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
VISIT PHILADELPHIA is the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.
On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.
