Monthly Archives: February 2025

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 Minneapolis and other municipalities throughout the Twin Cities, 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 New York City and the Tri-State 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 New Orleans and the Gulf Coast 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.

The West African nation of Burkina Faso – “the land of upright people” – is hardly a mainstream travel destination for people living in Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania region, with its harsh desert climate, lack of infrastructure, and continuing travel advisories (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/burkina-faso-travel-advisory.html).

“Yet Burkina Faso remains an enthralling destination for intrepid travelers, thanks to its wonderful inhabitants and dramatic landscapes,” according to World Travel Guide (https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/burkina-faso/). “As such, the country, though not frequently visited, is a fine place in which to immerse yourself in African culture.” Burkina Faso claims to be one of the friendliest countries on the continent, the report continued. “Burkinabe, as the people of Burkina Faso are known, are the exact opposite of the harsh land that they inhabit – and it is these cordial and courteous people who make it such a joy to come here.”

Landlocked Burkina Faso, located south of the Sahara Desert, is bordered by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast.  Formerly known as Upper Volta, Burkina Faso’s official language is French, reflecting its history as a self-governing section of French West Africa before gaining independence in 1960.  However, the country has suffered political instability, coups, droughts, famines, and terrorist violence in the decades since then.

Portugal, long a popular destination for international travelers from the Las Vegas Valley, 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 Charlotte 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.”

Residents of Atlanta are increasingly drawn to the wealthy State of Qatar on the Arabian Peninsula, a nation where desert sands meet ocean waters and ancient traditions and modern wonders live side by side.  Global attention focused on Qatar as it hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, highlighting its modernistic architecture and colorful traditions.  Travel to Qatar is easier now that Qatar Airways offers a nonstop flight from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to Doha (the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar).

“In steeped-in-tradition Qatar, you can learn about the ancient pursuit of falconry, watch camels race across the desert, and admire traditional dhows (wooden cargo boats) bobbing on the water,” Lonely Planet reported. “But the country is developing rapidly, with the capital Doha a world-class city in the making, thanks to its spectacular modern skyline, peerless Museum of Islamic Art, a fine and expansive traditional souq {marketplace}, and burgeoning arts and culinary scenes.  On any given day you could sample a portfolio of sophisticated restaurants and then watch the sun set over sand dunes that seem to spring from a fairy tale.” (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/qatar)

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 New Orleans and other cities across the Gulf Coast region, 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.