The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has predicted that Colombia and China will be among next year’s must-see destinations.
Colombia, although rarely visited by Britons, is likely to feature more on travel itineraries in 2008, partly because of the government’s increased investment in tourism, and partly because of the release of Mike Newell’s film Love in the Time of Cholera. Based on the classic novel by Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the movie was filmed in Cartagena, often cited as the most beautiful city in South America.
China will also be a 2008 hotspot, the group predicts. Not only has the recent British Museum exhibition of Terracotta Warriors whetted the public’s appetite for the Far East nation, but more importantly the 2008 Olympics will encourage many sports fans to sample the delights of Beijing.
Other destinations likely to be more popular next year include Australia (boosted by upcoming movies such as Australia, starring Nicole Kidman, and The Cup, starring Pierce Brosnan), Singapore (because it is hosting its first Formula One race in September, and the US (where the dollar is still weak against the pound).
