Monthly Archives: January 2025

Cambodia – land of exotic beaches, tropical river cruises, and fabled Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world -- continues to attract a growing number of leisure and business travelers from Honolulu and the Hawaiian Islands.  Almost 5.5 million foreigners visited Southeast Asian destination last year, with the United States ranking among the top five countries for inbound tourists.

Located on the Indochinese Peninsula, the Kingdom of Cambodia borders Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Gulf of Thailand on the South China Sea.  It covers almost 70,000 square miles along the Mekong River and around Tonle Sap, the largest lake in the region. “There's a magic about this charming yet confounding kingdom that casts a spell on visitors,” Lonely Planet reported. “An adventure to Cambodia will inspire travelers to contemplate what happens when ancient and modern worlds collide.” (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/cambodia)

France – the world’s top tourist destination – drew a record 100 million-plus travelers in 2023.  Some five million U.S. citizens visited that year, including visitors from American cities such as Cincinnati.  Americans providing the largest share of international visitors to Paris at 12%.  France’s “classical European architecture, rich culture, internationally renowned wineries, and even pristine Mediterranean beaches offer something for everyone,” GoWithGuide stated. “The country is also home to a whopping 49 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including famous sites such as Mont-Saint-Michel, as well as many lesser known gems.” (https://gowithguide.com/blog/tourism-in-france-statistics-2023-all-you-need-to-know-5275)

European France (or Metropolitan France) is located in Western Europe, where it borders Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, and Switzerland.  Its coast lies along the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, where it shares a maritime border with the United Kingdom.  However, the government of the French Republic also includes French Guiana in South America, the French West Indies in the Caribbean Sea, and various islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans.  Those islands, plus former French colonies such as Algiers, span almost 250,000 square miles and account for most of the world’s 310 million French speakers.

Italy – the world’s fourth most visited country by foreigners – attracted more than 60 million travelers in 2023.  Almost 5.4 million U.S. citizens visited that year, including residents of Kansas City and other towns across Missouri, placing the United States behind only Germany as a top source of tourists to enjoy Italy’s historic treasures, religious sites, beaches, and ski resorts.

The Italian Republic covers more than 116,000 square miles, mostly on a peninsula that reaches from the mountainous Alps to the Mediterranean Sea.  The country also includes Sicily, Sardinia, and almost 800 other islands.  Bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia, Italy also borders two landlocked enclaves: Vatican City and San Marino.  Rome is Italy’s capital and largest city; other major metropolitan areas include Milan, Naples, Venice, Turin, and Florence.

While the Republic of Benin may not be well known to most residents of the Denver area, it has grown into the fifth most popular tourist destination in Africa. “This small West African country is blessed with luscious natural surroundings, beautiful beaches, and unique markets,” Lonely Planet reported (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/top-things-to-do-in-benin). “Benin is the birthplace of Vodou – a religion that worships natural spirits and reveres ancestors.  It was also a significant source for transatlantic slave traders.” The report added. “It's a popular destination for adventurers who want to discover more about the country's rich culture.”

Known for centuries as the Kingdom of Dahomey, the area was a center of the slave trade from the 17^th through the 19^th Century.  France took over the country in 1894 and added it to French West Africa as Dahomey.  In 1960, it gained independence from France and was renamed as Benin in 1975.  French remains its official language, while several indigenous languages are also spoken.  The country of 14.4 million borders the nations of Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo, as well as the Bight {Bay} of Benin on the Atlantic Ocean.  It covers almost 43,500 square miles, with coastal beaches to the south, forests, savannahs, rocky hills, and the Atacora Mountains in the north.

Laos -- once a low-cost haven for backpackers drawn to its Buddhist temples, limestone mountains, and laid-back lifestyle -- now attracts an increasing number of leisure travelers from Miami and the South Florida region as the government adds more hotels, new festivals, and better highway access to top tourist destinations.  More than three million foreigners visited Laos in 2023, with the United States ranking as the top non-Asian source of inbound tourists.

The only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, Laos (officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic) borders Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.  The country of 7.6 million covers more than 90,000 square miles.  Most of the country is covered in forested mountains plus several plateaus and plains. “Vivid nature, voluptuous landscapes, and a vibrant culture collide with a painful past and optimistic future to make Laos an enigmatic experience for the adventurous,” Lonely Planet reported. (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/laos)

Located on the Indochina Peninsula, Laos was the center of the Lax Xang (“million elephants”) empire for more than 400 years before internal conflicts split the country into three kingdoms.  The realms were reunited as a French protectorate in 1893 and Laos gained independence from France in 1949.  A civil war that paralleled the Vietnam War led to the 1975 establishment of a socialist republic.  Laos is currently one of only five remaining Communist states in the world.

Residents of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania seeking historic ruins, stunning dive sites, mountain hiking, and upscale beach resorts are discovering the Middle Eastern national of Oman.  Located on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, Oman shares land and maritime borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Pakistan.

The oldest independent state in the Arab world, the Sultanate of Oman is an absolute monarchy that has been ruled by hereditary sultans for centuries.  From the 17^th Century through the early 20th Century, the Omani Sultanate was an empire that competed with the British and Portuguese empires for influence across the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf.  Over time, a series of treaties between the sultans and Great Britain provided the British a greater role in Oman as the Omani Empire declined.  The discovery of petroleum in 1964 transformed the area’s economy into the richest in the world and created a modern petrostate.

Portugal, long a popular destination for international travelers from Portland, continues to set new tourism records by recording 10.5 million overnight stays and 3.8 million visitors in August 2024 alone.  More than two million U.S. citizens visited Portugal in 2023, ranking it third only to neighboring Spain and the nearby United Kingdom for foreign visitors.

While many tourists flock to the largest metropolitan areas, Lisbon and Porto, “There's so much more to Portugal than its captivating historic cities.” Lonely Planet reported. “From golden beaches and mountainous peaks to lush river valleys, every region has its own diverse highlights across this small Iberian nation.” (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-places-to-visit-in-portugal)

Portugal is located along the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula, sharing a land border with Spain.  Its 500-mile coastline borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and the country includes the island regions of Madeira and the Azores.  While the nation only covers some 35,600 miles, its imperial history continues to affect other nations and cultures around the world.  During the Age of Discovery, the Kingdom of Portugal’s maritime empire made the country a major political and economic power, including trading powers and colonies stretching from Africa to the coasts of the South Atlantic and Indian oceans.  However, Portugal endured centuries of internal political conflicts, civil wars, and foreign intervention until 1974’s Carnation Revolution established the current Portuguese Republic.  As a result, there are more than 250 million Portuguese speakers globally in former colonies such as Brazil and Macau, as well as 10.6 million people who live in Portugal.  

Egypt – ranked the world’s fourth fastest-growing tourist destinations by AFAR magazine – saw its travel sector grow by 37% in 2024, with residents of Indianapolis and other American cities making up the list of visitors to the country.  Lonely Planet also ranked Egypt as its sixth best value destination, “captivating travelers with its rich history, cultural treasures, and awe-inspiring landscapes,” Al-Ahram noted. (https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/511989.aspx)

“One of the cradles of civilization, Egypt packs in more history than you can shake a textbook at,” The Times reported (https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/africa-travel/egypt/best-places-to-visit-in-egypt-6x8chhf2n). “Home to the only surviving wonder of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Giza, this country is positively littered with pyramids, tombs, temples — and a new breed of museums to show off all the discoveries.” The report continued, “One of the best ways to see Egypt’s ancient history is to take a cruise on the Nile, the world’s longest river.  But Egypt’s appeal extends far beyond its ancient sites.  Scuba divers in the know come to marvel at the Red Sea reefs, and the country has long been a winter sun favorite for shivering Europeans, with hundreds of resorts lining the eastern coast.”

The Republic of Lebanon and its capital, Beirut – the “Paris of the Middle East” – continues to draw tourists who enjoy its Mediterranean culture, historic sites, cuisine, and diverse architecture.  Tourism has largely recovered since the end of the Lebanese Civil War in 1990, restoring relative stability to the country, yet the U.S. State Department continues to maintain travel advisories due to persistent regional strife.

Located on the western shore of the Mediterranean Sea, the Republic of Lebanon was part of the Ottoman Empire for more than 400 years before coming under French rule after World War I.  The country gained independence from France in 1943, which was followed by both civil war and armed conflict with neighboring Syria and Israel.  In recent decades, Lebanon has evolved into one of the most culturally influential countries in the Middle East, and is a destination that should not be overlooked by anyone in the Detroit area desiring a deeper understanding of this region.  The republic offers a unique blend of Arabic and European influences, with colorful sites ranging from Roman temples and Malluk mosques to Crusader Castles and broad French-built boulevards.  While Arabic (Levantine Arabic) is the official language, French and English are commonly spoken, reflecting both its colonial history and its emerging role in global commerce.

Belgium attracted more than 9.7 million foreign travelers in 2023 and recorded 44.7 million overnight stays – a new national record.  Almost half a million U.S. citizens visited that year, including travelers from Raleigh and other towns across North Carolina, placing the United States as the top overseas country for travelers to the “Crossroads of Europe.”

“Travelers often overlook Belgium in favor of neighbors like France and the Netherlands, but it’s one of Europe’s best kept secrets,” according to Lonely Planet. “While its history means Belgium is linguistically and culturally diverse, it’s also small and compact, making it easy to hop between destinations.  From perfect fries and chocolate to accessible nature breaks, picturesque medieval towns, and vibrant art and fashion scenes, there's plenty to experience in Belgium.” (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-places-to-visit-in-belgium)

The Kingdom of Belgium, located in the Low Countries region of northwestern Europe, borders France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the North Sea.  Its government and major institutions are structured around three autonomous regions: Fleming, Walloon, and the Brussels-Capital regions.  The 11.2 million residents primarily speak one of the three official languages: Dutch (60%), French (less than 40%), and German.  Brussels is Belgium’s capital and largest metropolitan area; other major cities include Antwerp, Ghent, Liege, and Bruges.