DIGITAL NEST | “Best of the New York Times Travel Show”
As an avid traveler and geography enthusiast, the New York Times Travel Show held at the Jacob Javits Center last January 27-29 in Midtown Manhattan inspired me to work diligently so I would be able to see visit every country while I can. Here are six of my favorite booths from the exhibition in which I long to travel to in the future:
SOUTH AFRICA
A country that has been on my travel bucket list since the ninth grade. The country has so much to offer a traveler from hiking the Table Mountains in Cape Town, roaming through the streets of Soweto in Johannesburg to going to a wild safari at the popular Kruger National Park. Though the flight from New York to Johannesburg can be lengthy (a 14 hour and 35 minutes flight) a trip to this amazing country is well worth the time and money.
COSTA RICA
Located in Central America is one of the most popular tourist destinations and this booth showcases why. This booth gave free samples of chocolate, dried mangoes, coffee and recycled notepads to travel professionals and consumers. The country is known for its beaches, volcanoes, biodiversity and is a leading producer of coffee, chocolate, sugar, bananas and other tropical fruits.
TAIWAN
This small country is a must see destination for all foodie travelers! Here, I got to sample Taiwanese desserts, bubble tea and have fun with a bear. Taiwan is quintessentially known for their street food where markets are open late night around Taipei and other cities throughout the country.
INDONESIA
This booth was not only fun to take pictures at but learning about a country with similarities to the Philippines was intriguing! The language, the lifestyle and beautiful popular islands such as Bali, Java, Lombok, Sumatra, Komodo and Sulawesi to name a few, make this country a must see travel destination not far from the Philippines.
ARUBA
Feeling the winter blues? Then discover Aruba! This small island in the Caribbean is 19 miles long, shorter than the distance from my hometown of Woodside, Queens to Coney Island, Brooklyn. Unlike the commute from Queens to Brooklyn, Aruba offers miles of beautiful white sand beaches, great restaurants and hotels, beautiful weather all year round and relaxation for all travelers.
VISIT EUROPE
Traveling to Europe is a tradition in my family. We have traveled to popular European destinations such as London, Paris, Nice, Monaco, Amsterdam, Cologne, Bonn, Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, Madrid, Zurich, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Athens, Santorini Island and Istanbul. The option of traveling through the continent virtually is free! If you wish to travel virtually, download the app visiteurope.com
Written By: Tennie Sumague, Eagle News Service US, New York