OPEN SPACES AND EXOTIC PLACES

With belts being tightened, many Canadians will be staying closer to home in 2009, says Bruce Poon Tip, CEO of G.A.P. Adventures in Toronto. However, Poon Tip also predicts that people who can afford it will seek wide open spaces and more remote areas in 2009. “There is so much going on in the world at present that there will be a group of people who just want to get away from it all,” he says, “So places like Antarctica, Galapagos, Mongolia and even Siberia are ideal if you just want to check out for a while and get away from all the noise.”

BRUCE POON TIP’S TOP 5 HOT SPOTS FOR 2009
#5 Peru—Machu Picchu and the search of the Incas will be popular as this will be a year of soul searching. The Celestine Prophecy led people in droves to heal themselves in the footsteps of the Incas and it seems fitting this year.

#4 Kenya—Last year Kenya had its share of political unrest that was hard on the tourism industry in Kenya. But Kenya is back and you can’t keep adventurous people away from the traditional African safari. And there is not a better place to experience this than in Kenya.

#3 Tibet—They say all press is good press and this will be the case for Tibet. After a rough year with protests in the lead-up to the Beijing games, Tibet was on everyone’s mind. It also left a lot of people curious and more informed about this spiritual nation in the heart of Asia.

#2 Egypt—Egypt is without a doubt one of the biggest travel destinations in the world and you can’t keep people away for long, despite the occassional flare up in tensions in the Middle East. The minute a window of confidence opens, they will return quickly to see the ruins and experience the history left by the ancient Egyptians.

#1 China—Fresh off the heels of one of the most spectacular Olympic Games ever, China showed the world that it is a modern nation with a human side and gave everyone a look at what a majestic country it is. With marathoners running through the Forbidden City, and in front of a skyline with the Birds Nest stadium nestled like a jewel in the crown of Beijing, China is now familiar to everyone and created a lot of curiosity and buzz.