3 African countries named among world top 10 tourist destinations

Lonely Planet says that Morocco is having a moment, with time-honoured attractions complemented by sustainable-yet-stylish lodging.

3 African countries named among world top 10 tourist destinations

Three African countries: Eswatini (Swaziland), Liberia and Morocco have been named by the Lonely Planet as the world 10 top tourist destinations for the year 2020.

Lonely Planet produces a series of popular guide books.

Liberia did not expect to be among the ten top tourist destinations in world, second in Africa. But a respected travel advice company, Lonely Planet, has said Liberia, West of Africa is uppermost when you think about the best-known places for tourism on the continent.

In ascending order, Lonely Planet listed world best tourist destinations for 2020:

1. Bhutan. “The pay-off for visitors is a chance to walk along mountain trails unsullied by litter, in the company of people whose Buddhist beliefs put them uniquely in tune with their environment. Bhutan punches well above its weight when it comes to sustainability”
2. England. “Taking a bracing walk on a windswept pier, eating delicious fish and chips, searching for marine life in rockpools, finding fossils in ancient cliffs, building sandcastles and dolphin-spotting on picturesque beaches are just some of the activities offered by the English seaside”.
3. North Macedonia. “‘Best of’ travel lists brim with anniversaries and airport openings. Rare is the opportunity to celebrate the rebranding of a country. Such is the case for North Macedonia – a place most known simply as Macedonia – which claimed a fresh moniker after decades of political debate with bordering Greece”.
4. Aruba. “In Aruba’s south, the cultural hub of San Nicolas, known as Sunrise City, is relishing a colourful and creative revival, with international and local artists adorning street walls and pop-up carnival experiences extending the happy vibes beyond the annual festivities. Equally important and worth celebrating are the country’s ambitious sustainability efforts”.
5. Eswatini (Swaziland). “Petite, pleasant and packed with culture, adventure and legendary wildlife, the newly named Kingdom of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) is one of Southern Africa’s most underrated (and least visited) destinations”.
6. Costa Rica. “Costa Rica flies the flag for sustainable tourism. This small country’s vast biodiversity attracts visitors keen to spot sleepy sloths in trees, red-eyed frogs paralysing their predators, and whales in the Pacific”.
7. The Netherlands. “Vibrant Amsterdam always deserves a visit, but by making use of the excellent train network you can explore a host of celebrations in stunning cities and get more bang for your euros. April and May are the months to visit, as you can take in King’s Day, Liberation Day and the Eurovision Song Contest, which will be hosted in the country this year”.
8. Liberia. “For most outsiders Liberia is a bit of a mystery”, but goes on to say: There are idyllic beaches, washed by some of West Africa’s best surf at low-key resorts such as Robertsport. Then there’s Sapo National Park, the second-largest area of primary rainforest in West Africa. In these dense forests, you stand a chance of running into chimpanzees, forest elephants and Liberia’s famous pygmy hippos – no larger than a Shetland pony.”
9. Morocco. “Morocco is having a moment, with time-honoured attractions complemented by sustainable-yet-stylish lodging, restaurants serving up seasonal produce and coastal wellness retreats mixing up yoga and surfing. And thanks to improved infrastructure it’s easier to get around by road, while Africa’s first high-speed train means that you can zip from Casablanca to Tangier in just two hours”.
10. Uruguay. “With 660km of Río de la Plata and Atlantic shoreline, a burgeoning wine industry, bubbling hot springs and endless rolling rangelands where South America’s grandeur feels seductively tangible, Uruguay has something for everyone. The country has also proudly championed a progressive social agenda in recent years – from marijuana legalisation and the open embrace of LGBTQ+ rights to the promotion of sustainable tourism”.

Liberia’s case is remarkable turnaround for a country that was cut off from visitors during the Ebola outbreak that ended in 2016.

Lonely Planet called Eswatini “one of Southern Africa’s most underrated destinations” and Morocco has “time-honoured attractions complemented by sustainable-yet-stylish lodging”.