Intrepid’s Dr. Susanne Etti has achieved exceptional feat, being the sole Australian to be profiled as part of National Geographic’s revamped “BEST OF THE WORLD 2024” Travel Guide, honoured as Traveler of the Year by National Geographic’s Global Editorial Teams.
Each year, National Geographic announces their picks for Best Of The World, the brand’s annual guide of the most exciting, meaningful, and one-of-a-kind travel experiences for the year ahead. Today, Nat Geo unveiled BEST OF THE WORLD 2024 with a brand-new category: Traveller Of The Year.
Dr. Susanne Etti, Intrepid Travel’s Global Environmental Impact Manager, was recognised as one of only nine National Geographic “Traveller Of The Year”, the designation for changemakers who inspire National Geographic’s own global community of travel experts on where and how to travel. Dr Etti is the only Australian to make it onto this year’s prestigious list, highlighting the important role of Australian leaders and businesses such as Intrepid Travel on the world stage.
From PastaGrannies to Liliana Palma Santos to Dolly Parton, these creatives, guides, influencers and adventurers excel at exciting people about the wonders of our world, illuminating diverse cultures and showing them how to travel smarter.
Part of National Geographic’s ‘Best Of The World 2024’, the ‘Traveller Of The Year’ selection was thoughtfully curated by National Geographic’s international editorial teams, which serve millions of readers through their magazines and websites around the world.
“At National Geographic, we know that travel has the power to move you. That the experiences you have can make you see the world — and yourself — in a new light. Our expanded ‘Best Of The World’ franchise is the ultimate guide to the exceptional experiences that we and our global community of experts are most excited about right now, whether that’s hiking to the El Valle de Antón volcano in Panama or listening to live music in Kyoto or bear-watching in Alaska,” said Nathan Lump, National Geographic’s editor-in-chief. “This year, we wanted to give travellers more ideas than ever before to jumpstart their travel planning for 2024 and beyond, so we grew our lists to include curated hotels, restaurants, wellness retreats and cultural spots that we believe are worth getting on a plane for, and gear that will make your travels smoother. And because we know that people can also be a great source of inspiration, we’re sharing our picks for Travelers of the Year—those individuals like Dr. Susanne Etti who, through their example, make us all want to get out there and experience something new.”
“I regard National Geographic as one of the most iconic and respected media organisations in not only the field of science, but in the world,” says Dr. Etti. “To be named in its Traveler of the Year category is truly an honour. I hope we can inspire many more conscious adventurers to help see and protect our planet.”
In total, ‘Best Of The World 2024’ includes:
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TRAVELLERS OF THE YEAR – From a family in search of African ancestors to a music icon celebrating her Tennessee roots, National Geographic’s Travelers of the Year like Dr Susanne Etti inspire us to experience the best of the world and, once we’re out the door, help to make our journeys more meaningful. These are explorers, boundary breakers, and changemakers who know a thing or two about where and how to travel right now … and even what to pack. Nat Geo gathered tips and travel-related insights from these nine trendsetters to share with audiences at NatGeo.com/Travelers.
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TOP 20 TRAVEL EXPERIENCES – A selection of must-do adventures right now. From the total eclipse in Niagara Falls in April to glacier treks in Chile, this year’s highlights include a ranking system — another first. The full list of animal-watching, rapid-rafting and road-trip experiences can be found at NatGeo.com/BestOfTheWorld.
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WORTH A TRIP: Hotels, Restaurants, Cultural Spots and Wellness Retreats – The definitive guide to the best hotels, restaurants, cultural gems and wellness retreats to plan your trips around in 2024. Each of these establishments is a gateway to a destination, helping travellers explore the culture, history, landscape or wildlife in a deeper and richer way.
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GEAR OF THE YEAR – 18 expert-approved innovative products every traveller will want to pack, whether the next big trip involves a first-class ticket or a full tank of gas. With tips from pro cyclists to adventure photographers on everything from bike racks to binoculars, Gear of the Year highlights the latest equipment travellers will be most excited to take with them in 2024.
The ‘Best Of The World 2024’ travel guide is available online now at NatGeo.com/BestOfTheWorld, where readers will be transported to each destination through spectacular photography and reporting.
ABOUT INTREPID TRAVEL
Intrepid Travel is a world leader in sustainable experience-rich travel that has been taking travellers to discover the world’s most amazing places for more than 30 years. The company’s mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel. The company offers more than 1,150 trips on every continent and is designed to truly experience local culture. With its own network of destination management companies in 26 countries, Intrepid has unique local expertise and perspectives. Globally renowned as a leader in responsible travel, in 2018 the carbon-neutral business became the world’s largest travel company to be certified B-Corp. Intrepid Travel is also the first tour operator with near-term science-based climate targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative. For more information download the company’s 2022 Annual Report and follow Intrepid on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or LinkedIn.
