16 Things To Look Forward To In 2020

Another decade comes to a close and we at Outlook Traveller are looking forward to a fresh new year. 2020 is the start of many exciting things, especially when it comes to travel. So pull out your diary and note down resolutions for the next year. Here are 16 things to look forward to in the upcoming year: 

1. Advertisement

   In an attempt to increase the biodiversity of the stunning Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand government has decided to reintroduce the one-horned rhinoceros. They were once native to the area but soon went extinct. These creatures will now be brought down from Assam and West Bengal since Corbett provides similar topography and weather conditions. There's one more thing to search for here, other than the elusive tigers!

2. As a media student, David Attenborough’s films and shows were the pinnacle of nature documentaries for me. The man behind the screen will now be celebrated with the WWF documentary, A Life On Our Planet, based on Attenborough’s life. Releasing on April 16, 2020, the documentary will be shown at London’s Royal Albert Hall and select theatres in the UK. Do not fret, for it will soon after be available on Netflix worldwide.

3. The year of Classic Blue is finally here. Declared the Pantone Colour Of The Year 2020, this classic shade of azure is expected to be reigning all design industries. Look forward to seeing a lot more of the colour everywhere you travel. FYI, Pantone is a company best known for their Colour Matching System which is used by almost every industry that deals in anything related to design.

4. Very soon, around 400 restaurants in Delhi will have menus printed in braille. The order has been passed by the office of the chief commissioner for persons with disabilities. Let's hope this trend continues. I am looking forward to the country moving towards more inclusivity. 

5. I am looking forward to trying my hand at making holiday mocktails using Dreeky, an application that has over 600 recipes of cocktails! It's available on Apple and Android devices.

6. A pride of Asiatic lions from Gir are supposed to be relocated to Kuno-Palpur soon, to create a second home for the species. I really want this to happen by early 2020, so that by October (that’s our national park season) we could go for a safari and see how the big cats prowl around a new and unused habitat. 

7. China’s natural beauty and cultural diversity is staggering. I’m already getting a glimpse of it from a web series called The Untamed (it’s on Netflix) but I’m most excited to see it in Disney’s live-action Mulan. Based on the legend of Hua Mulan, a female warrior from the Northern Wei region, it’s bound to offer an exciting cross-section of heritage, folk storytelling and action. 

   Long exposure of a plane taking off pic.twitter.com/giLGYMW14s

   — Domenico Calia (@CaliaDomenico) December 26, 2019

8. The number of seaplane tourism areas are rising in India. I’d like to visit and take a shot like the one above, with an aerial view of the waves.

9. I’d love a trip to see the opening of Jeddah Tower. If completed on schedule, it’s going to beat the Burj Khalifa and take the #1 spot as the world’s tallest building. 

10. The 2020 Dubai Expo is a much-coveted event. The tradition of a World Expo goes back to 1851, but in 2020, Dubai is making the best use of all its technological advancement. Around 192 countries are participating, which means there are 192 countries to explore, as well as much entertainment options, and culinary performances!

11. Short, well planned and very schedule-friendly, micro trips are touted as the next big thing in travel. Offering a much-needed break before the Monday hustle, micro trips focus on maximising the experience in a limited time frame. Be it a creative boost or stress relief, micro trips will soon prove to be more beneficial than longer vacations. 

12. Gone are the days when carrying wads of cash was the norm. With apps like Google Pay, Paytm taking the world by storm, it will not only lead to more secure travel, but will also get to a stage where we might no longer have to deal with the hassle of converting cash into local currency. With your smartphone in one hand and card in the other, your travel goals are just a tap away.

    

13. Bhutan’s unparalleled beauty is matched by very few countries, and Indian citizens have had the privilege of enjoying it fee-free unlike their foreign contemporaries. However, that will change soon, and for good reason. Bhutan is one of the most proactive countries when it comes to sustainability. It is the world’s only nation which is carbon-negative and come 2020, it will become completely organic.

14. Morocco is moving towards sustainable-meets-stylish accommodations for travellers. The new high-speed train will make travelling across Casablance and Tangier a breeze. Historic medinas are being refurbished in Fez, Essaouira, Meknes, Tetouan and Marrakesh. The city of Marrakesh is also being named the first Capital of Culture in Africa in 2020.  

15. 2020 will welcome the 100th season of the NFL with Super Bowl 54 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Super Bowl LIV will kick off at 6.30 pm ET on Feb 2, 2020. For all American Football fans on this side of the Atlantic, tune in at 5.00 am IST on Monday, Feb 3 2020, to catch the game in real-time!

16. Olympics 2020 in Tokyo! A whirlwind of excitement in the world of sports. Need I say more? The Olympics will be held in the Japanese capital for the second time, 56 years after the first. The Tokyo Olympics will welcome new sports to their traditional line-up like skateboarding, karate, surfing and sport climbing. The Games will run from July 24 through August 9, 2020.