Top World Places to Visit in 2020

With its lively pubs and strong student presence, Galway is a great choice any time. But this year the west coast city is celebrating its being named as a 2020 European Capital of Culture. Look for great dance, theatre and, of course, live music all year long. Don't miss a night at the King's Head Pub, situated inside an 800-year-old building in the city's popular Latin Quarter.

Dubai: The 2020 World Expo opens in Dubai on October 10 and will feature displays from countries around the world. It's the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa or South Asia, so they're definitely aiming to make a splash. The theme is what Forbes calls a celebration of "human brilliance and achievement" with the theme of "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future."

The devastating bush fires have put an unwanted focus on a country that strongly values tourism. It appears that major cities have been unaffected, and that the damage has been limited to a few regions. Still, there's little doubt the Aussies could use an infusion of visitors this year.

This year marks what would've been the 250th birthday of the great Ludwig van Beethoven. His home city of Bonn, formerly the capital of Germany, is celebrating with year-long concerts, picnic performances and more.

This beautiful Caribbean island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017 but has recovered nicely. A posh Kempinski hotel, the first true luxury property on the island, opened in 2019 and was voted best new hotel in the Caribbean Travel Awards. Jungle Bay Eco Villas were renovated and reopened in June of last year, and the refurbished, 28-room Rosalie Bay Eco-Resort is set to re-open next month. Both Marriott and Hilton have major new hotels in the works, which will put an even stronger spotlight on the country.

Already one of the world's great cities, Tokyo has been the spit and polish treatment on a massive scale as it gets ready to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Ticket demand has been enormous, which is potentially a big boost for future hosts Paris (2024) and Los Angeles (2028).

Not only has the city emerged as one of the world's trendiest foodie destinations, it's also been given a physical boost. The city's popular square, Kongens Nytorv, will be open all year following a seven-year closure due to construction of a new public transit line. The Museum of Copenhagen opens its doors this year after a multi-million dollar renovation.

Always a favourite of Canadians, Jamaica is in the 2020 spotlight for a couple of big reasons. In April, the 25th (yikes) in the James Bond series will debut in theatres, with 007 Daniel Craig returning to author Ian Fleming's roots at Goldeneye resort on the island's north shore. This year also marks what would've been the 75th birthday of the legendary Bob Marley, who was born Feb. 6, 1945 in Nine Mile, located in St. Ann's Parish a little south and west of Ocho Rios.

One of the most fascinating countries on the planet has been putting on a big push to attract more Canadians. Israeli tourism officials are pushing the country's lesser-known attractions, including beautiful mountains for off-road cycling.

Bolivia is known to adventure travellers as the home (in part) of Lake Titicaca. But the city of La Paz is getting increasing attention, partly because of the gondolas that whisk locals and visitors above the city's traffic. The cable-car system had three lines in 2014 but this year there will be 11. One travel magazine called the system "Jetsonian," which seems fair. The city's culinary scene also is getting more ink. Definitely a place that's not yet over-touristed.