LONELY PLANET NAMES 2017’S TOP NEW OPENINGS

• South Australia and Western Australia feature in Top 10

Travel media company Lonely Planet has named the world’s most exciting new openings for this year in its annual New in Travel 2017 collection.

Lonely Planet’s Travel News (lonelyplanet.com/news) team reports on new developments in the world of travel every day. For this latest edition of New in Travel, they compiled a list of the upcoming new attractions on their radar, then hand-picked and ranked 35 of the most anticipated, intriguing, not-to-be-missed openings in 2017.

Now in its third year, Lonely Planet’s New in Travel gives ambitious travellers the chance to get ahead of the curve and be among the first to experience what’s new and exciting in the year ahead.

Whether it’s getting close to Icelandic volcanoes, sailing around the world in 141 days, rhino-watching in Rwanda, or travelling South America by train, 2017 has adventures for everyone. The series of New in Travel 2017 articles are published now on lonelyplanet.com.

Lonely Planet’s New in Travel 2017 Top 10

1. Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia – It’s not just current American politics that’s divided; Philly’s new museum will be an unmissable experience about a tumultuous period that shaped a nation: amrevmuseum.org 
2. Lava, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland – This state-of-the-art centre will feature an earthquake simulator and a viewing platform overlooking the volcanoes Eyjafjallajökull, Katla and Hekla: lavacenter.is
3. Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, South Australia – The soon-to-be-iconic trail will take you around some of this South Australian island’s most spectacular landscapes: kangarooislandwildernesstrail.sa.gov.au
4. Musées Yves Saint Laurent Paris and Marrakesh, France and Morocco – Two museums are set to open in honour of the iconic fashion designer.
5. Akagera National Park, Rwanda – Volcanoes National Park is famous for its gorillas in the mist, but Akagera is the park making headlines for reintroducing black rhinos.
6. American Writers Museum – The new museum in Chicago will offer a look into how US literature has documented and influenced American culture: americanwritersmuseum.org
7. Cruise (all over the world) – The Viking Sun, a 141-day journey from Miami to London, will set sail and stop at 66 different locales, including Cuba and Bora Bora.
8. Pinky’s Eco Retreat & Beach Club on Rottnest Island, Western Australia – The glamping retreat will include dozens of luxury, family and backpacker tents.
9. Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru – South America’s first sleeper train will travel one of the world’s highest rail routes, through the Peruvian Alps, Lake Titicaca and Cuzco: belmond.com.
10. Design Society, Shēnzhèn, China –The Shékŏu area will welcome a brand new cultural hub, focusing on 20th and 21st century design in collaboration with London’s renowned V&A Museum (Exhibits in 2017 and 2018).

For more travel planning help in 2017, the new book Lonely Planet’s Where to Go When answers the perennial question – where is the best place to visit during every season of the year? Both inspirational and practical, it’s the ultimate trip planner, complete with 30 recommended experiences for each month of the year.

For more on the latest openings and travel updates, visit www.lonelyplanet.com/news and follow on Twitter @lptravelnews. To learn more about what’s new and on Lonely Planet’s radar this year, Best in Travel 2017 is now available on www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel.