10. Mexico
Mayan Riviera -Assuming that the world does not come to an end on 21 December 2012, as the Mayan calendar foretells, the Mayan Riviera is set for a bounteous year in 2013.
9. Ecuador
Visitors to the Galapagos Islands numbered 90,000 last year and they all come with high expectations. The islands (all of which were declared a national park in 1959) are about 960 km off the coast of Ecuador and are oddly untropical, their flattish landscapes covered in green furze with volcanic lumps bursting out here and there.
8. Philippines
For travellers willing to go the extra thousand miles for a deserted beach, the Philippines has around 7,000 of the most heavenly islands in the world. It's still not the most obvious beach-holiday destination, but it soon will be.
7. China
Voted one of China's top five destinations in TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice 2012 awards, Hangzhou has long been regarded as one of the country's most beautiful cities. Its fans span the ages, from Marco Polo to UNESCO (which named the city's famed West Lake a World Heritage site in 2011). In 2013, with a new train station, high-speed service to nearby Shanghai, and a new metro opening phase by phase, it will be easier than ever to explore this undiscovered gem of China.
6. Ireland
Irish by ancestry or simply in spirit? Then you're invited home for The Gathering Ireland 2013. This yearlong celebration of Ireland and its people includes festivals, concerts, clan gatherings, and special sporting events. With more than 70 million people around the world claiming Irish descent (including 44 million Americans), this is shaping up to be the ultimate family reunion.
5. Croatia
It's been a long and rocky road for Croatia in its quest to join the European Union, but in July, the Eastern European country will become the 28th member of the EU. What does membership mean for travelers? A large initial influx of EU funds will help Croatia recover from its recent economic woes and strengthen its tourism infrastructure. The last two years have already brought new hotels and improvements to popular tourist attractions, and the country's stated goal is to make travel easier for foreign visitors in the coming years.
4. Panama
No longer just a place where ships pass in the night, Panama is the cool Caribbean destination of the moment. There is great change afoot; and it will continue to change over the next few years, with interesting developments that will ensure it becomes known for more than its legendary canal.
3. Turkey
Turkey is soaring. This gateway between Europe and Asia has long been on the radar of travelers looking for the flavor of both continents, but its rise as a global air hub is set to make it a crossroads to the world. Add a flood of new hotels and off-the-charts tourism growth, and it's easy to see why Turkey is on the rise
2. Oman
It is becoming quietly popular among those who eschew the glittering skyscrapers of its neighbouring UAE, who have done Jordan and Morocco, and who are looking for something off the beaten track. Oman has vast tracts unbeaten, from hostile desert to the far-flung Musandam Peninsula, whose shores are the palest blue.
1. Zambia
You presume correctly if you think Zambia has some big things to celebrate in 2013. The country has emerged as one of Southern Africa's best safari and adventure-activity destinations. This coming year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of famed explorer David Livingstone, whose namesake city of Livingstone is a popular gateway to the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls.
