Travel Guide 2010

Lonely Planet's top 10 places include El Salvador in Central America, for hiking, surfing and low tourist numbers, and the Dutch-speaking Suriname in northern South America - the smallest country on that continent - for its cultural diversity and natural riches, including underwater wonders.

On the more traditional front, the US is "cool again" thanks to President Barack Obama, Morocco makes the list for its combination of "glam and grit" and Nepal is expected to be in demand now that peace has returned.

Interest in Germany is expected to be high, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, while Greece makes the cut for having "something for everyone" - from ruins to idyllic beaches - and Portugal is expected to draw in travellers as it experiences a "new wave" of modernity amid tradition. Closer to home, New Zealand and Malaysia round out the top 10 due to their natural beauty and diversity of experiences.

The US (particularly New York and Las Vegas) also makes the cut for Flight Centre's top 10 destinations, along with Vancouver in Canada, with the city hosting the Winter Olympic Games next month.

Botswana's plush tented camps are predicted to be in favour with the glamping (glamour camping) market, while Mexican and Caribbean beaches are back in fashion and luxury river cruising is expected to draw visitors to Vietnam.

Flight Centre joins Lonely Planet in including Greece (particularly Santorini and Mykonos) in its top 10, along with Malaysia (especially for shopping in Kuala Lumpur).

Rounding out Flight Centre's top 10 are Cadaques in northern Spain, "for a coastal yet cultural escape"; Provence in France for activity-based holidays such as cooking and art classes; and cruises from Australia.

Intrepid Travel is banking on interest in East Timor, with a new trip this year. The company says East Timor is "virtually untouched" by tourism and offers a combination of lush rainforest, traditional villages and Portuguese and Indonesian influences.

Transglobal Destinations says Turkey is emerging as a cheaper alternative to France, Spain and Italy, while World Expeditions says demand for off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Madagascar, Syria and Ethiopia has risen as confidence has returned.