Holidays in 2019 are just around the corner with a few days to go until the new year rolls in. Many Britons will be planning when to take their annual leave, as well as what destination to travel to. Thankfully, there are a number of countries which should be visited in 2019 for a range of reasons from sports to being strong against the pound. Express.co.uk reveals which countries should be on the bucket list for 2019.
Turkey
According to Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, visitors will hit an all-time high, having seen more than 40 million in 2018.
The country is also one of the best deals for Britons following the plummeting of the Turkish lira earlier this year, meaning more for the pound.
With it being one of the only countries in the world straddling two continents (Europe and Asia) the country has a combination of many cultures, as well as ancient cities and beach resorts.
Searches for Turkish holidays are up by 122 per cent according to lastminute.com, with Cappadocia high on the bucket list thanks to the iconic hot air balloon excursion.
Japan
Sports fans will be heading to the country next year as Japan wil host the Rugby World Cup 2019.
Taking place between September 20 and November 2, it is one of the biggest sporting events in the world taking place over seven weeks.
The country will remain on the radar into 2020 when it also hosts the Olympics.
With direct flights thanks to British Airways as well the pound being strong against the yen, next year will be a great year to travel to Japan.
Costa Rica
Sustainable travel is one of the top trends for 2019 as more people care about protecting the environment.
Costa Rica is one of the world leaders in conservation with many heading to the tropical country for this reason, and it even aims to be carbon neutral in the next two years.
According to ABTA, it will be a hot country for travel next year with flights less than 12 hours.
Thanks to a number of national parks, volcanoes and amazing wildlife with spider monkeys and birds, it is a nature lovers dream.
It is also one of the happiest places in the world, according to the Happy Planet Index.
Italy
Britons not wanting to go too far afield should stay in Italy for 2019.
Next year marks the 500th anniversary of the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci’s death.
A number of events will take place in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance according to Travel PR, with showcases of his paintings and writings.
Despite the pound struggling against the euro, the beautiful city is just a couple of hours from the UK making it perfect for a weekend break.
It was even the home of British royalty, with the Duchess of Cambridge living in the city of Florence before she went to university.
