Where to travel in 2024, from Melbourne to Malta, Utah to Udaipur, according to Expedia, Lonely Planet, American Express Travel and more – and where to avoid

Expedia predicts a boom in set-jetting, to places such as Malta where Gladiator 2 was filmed; swap the Taj Mahal for Udaipur, American Express Travel suggests

Utah is our alternative to Las Vegas; busy Barcelona and Venice are out and Girona and Treviso are in; two guides talk up Niseko; Ha Long Bay divides opinions

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Castelsardo in Sardinia, Italy, is one of many 2024 travel recommendations from the likes of Forbes, National Geographic and more. Photo: Shutterstock

Tim Pile

Published: 7:15pm, 8 Dec 2023Updated: 7:41am, 22 Dec 2023

It’s that time of year again. Guidebook publishers, travel companies and online influencers have all been busy compiling their lists of must-see destinations for 2024.

Old favourites await rediscovery, up-and-coming hotspots vie with “undiscovered gems” and “sustainable havens” for inclusion, and, according to at least one industry player, some tourist attractions should be avoided altogether.

Forbes

In its 24 Best Places to Travel in 2024, global media brand Forbes leads with the gorgeous Italian island of Sardinia on account of its stunning beaches, history as a Mediterranean crossroads and seafood-influenced culinary traditions.

Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay is recommended by Forbes as a place to see in 2024 but Fodor’s says to give it a miss because of overtourism. Photo: Shutterstock

Renowned for its reliable snowfall, the Japanese ski resort of Niseko makes the cut as an alternative to more familiar European and North American winter sports venues and Forbes reckons the emerald waters and limestone pinnacles of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, will enjoy a bumper 2024 as well.

National Geographic

National Geographic’s Cool List 2024 gives the Albanian Alps a nod for their challenging hiking trails amid jagged karst peaks. Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region is also recommended – three stages of the 111th Tour de France will roll through the vineyard-cloaked landscapes next summer.

Then there’s China’s Xian, which in 2024 marks 50 years since a group of farmers stumbled upon a clay soldier while digging a well. Further excavations led to the unearthing of thousands of life-size warriors, horses and chariots.

Fodor’s

Guidebook publisher Fodor’s produces an annual Go List that includes Philippine diving paradise Coron (translucent seas, World War II shipwrecks and talcum powder sands). And with its fusion of cultures, cuisines, British colonial architecture and Chinese shophouses, George Town, the capital of Penang, Malaysia, merits a mention. World Heritage site? It goes without saying.