Spectacular 150th birthday celebrations and a "wave of positivity" unleashed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are among the reasons that Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book publisher in the world, has listed Canada as its top travel destination for 2017.
On Tuesday morning, the company instructed followers to "rewrite the bucket list" to include the Great White North, which ranked above Colombia, Finland, Dominica, Nepal, Bermuda, Mongolia and other slightly off-the-beaten-path tourist destinations on a list of places "you can't afford to miss" next year. Its 58-page chapter on Canada boasts 25 places to visit, with British Columbia's Haida Gwaii topping the list, followed by the Rocky Mountains, Nahanni Territorial Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories, and the city of Vancouver:
"Bolstered by the wave of positivity unleashed by its energetic new leader Justin Trudeau, and with dynamic cities that dominate global livability indices and a reputation for inclusiveness and impeccable politeness, the world’s second-largest country will usher in its sesquicentennial in 2017 in rollicking good health. Marking 150 years since confederation, the elongated birthday party promises to be heavy on bonhomie and highly welcoming to international gatecrashers. And, with a weak Canadian dollar pushing down prices, the overseas visitor should have plenty of pocket money to spend on Canada’s exciting fusion food and mysteriously underrated wine."
The special designation has created a buzz among Canadians on social media, particularly politicians. Among those who took to Twitter to celebrate the recognition are federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, and federal Minister of Small Business and Tourism Bardish Chagger.
A land of "endless variety"
Also worth watching is the video Lonely Planet released on Canada, illustrating it as a land of "endless variety."
Comments
I'm sorry to see the promotion of Canada's flowery speaking, non delivering Prime Minister in this story. The hopey/changey lessons that we are learning from him and his illusion of leadership direction are disturbing.