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Armenia
Launched in May 2023, the Armenian National Trail (ANT) is an offshoot of the better-known Transcaucasian Trail but has been designed by not-for-profit HikeArmenia for village-to-village, rather than wild, hiking. Spanning 593 miles and visiting 108 villages, the trail is both employing locals as trailbuilders and encouraging locals to open guesthouses. Accommodation such as the Dilijan Hikers Hostel are benefiting from increased traffic, with profits from the hostel being returned to Armenia’s trail system.
ANT will encourage visitors to parts of Armenia that they may otherwise not have seen, thereby bringing much-needed funds to these places. Constructing the trail has created a workforce with skills such as erosion control and bridge building. Although those taking part in this hike will visit less-touristed parts of the country, ANT still features popular locations such as Gosh village and the ancient Haghpat monastery.
My ANT guide was Shushan Rubenian, who I wrote about for eurowings*. By providing further employment for guides such as Shushan, by bringing tourist money into parts of Armenia that very much need it, and by enriching visitors’ experience by taking them to memorable Armenian villages and vistas, ANT is a clear winner.
*https://misc.pagesuite.com/pdfdownload/46252146-3af8-4f75-8b44-82a0b8b7c5a3.pdf
Cairo, Egypt
After over a decade’s delay, and a generation in the making, Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) has finally opened to the public. A megaproject rumored to have cost $1bn, it's not only the world’s largest archeological museum, but also its most expensive museum.
Undoubtedly the Egyptian cultural event of the year, the GEM, containing 100,000 objects in total, brings together the treasures of boy pharoah Tutankhamun for the first time since they were discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, plus the solar barque exhibits once housed in an ugly museum of their own. Many pieces are on public display for the first time.
Situated within sight of the Great Pyramid of Giza on the same plateau, the museum is fully accessible. According to the International Finance Corporation, GEM "sets a new standard for sustainable construction in Africa" with the IFC awarding it the EDGE Advanced Green Building Certification - the first in Africa. The museum has been designed to reduce its energy consumption by 60%, and water use by 34%. The social impact is also considered largely positive, generating new jobs across the massive complex and redirecting international attention to Egypt's tourism scene, which is vital to the national accounts.
The project has been funded through the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and development loans from the Japanese government.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
The new MIT Museum displays to the public how the work of this top university impacts the world of business, AI, technology, medicine, sustainability and the arts. Many of the exhibits are hands on, challenging and encourage mistakes as a process of learning.
On display are historic and cutting edge research projects including technological advances in the field of genetic discovery and what questions arise such as who decides how and when transformative new biotechnologies will be used? It asks the public to join the conversation and actively seeks to involve the local community, welcoming participation from artists, scientists, engineers, designers.
A large space also concentrates on the arts, through holograms, poetry, photographs and paintings.
The museum is financed by the university.
All ramps, elevators, hallway and doorways are accessible to wheelchairs that can be pre-booked free of charge.
It’s a unique space that provides interest on many levels. I could have stayed all day.
Guatemala City, Guatemala
The Guatemala National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology re-opened in 2023 after an extensive two-year refurbishment, adding interactive displays and new galleries. It offers a deep dive into Mayan civilization and the diverse cultures of Guatemala’s indigenous peoples.
Founded in 1898, and relocated to its current Finca-style building in 1946, the museum holds an impressive collection of over 20,000 archaeological items and approximately 5,000 ethnographic objects. The museum's architecture adds to its charm, with spacious galleries and serene courtyards that invite contemplation.
An arched gateway leads into a central courtyard filled with tropical greenery and anchored by a colonial-era fountain. Towering stone stelae, altars, and sculpted panels give an introduction to the artistry of the Classic Maya period.
Inside, 10 exhibition halls guide guests chronologically through Guatemala’s ancient past before transitioning into displays that celebrate present-day indigenous textile and cultural traditions.
The museum not only focuses on archaeology but also emphasizes ethnology, illustrating how modern Guatemalan culture is influenced by its Mayan roots. Among the highlights are jade ornaments, painted ceramics, ceremonial masks, and ritual tools, as well as a wide array of traditional clothing and regional textiles. It’s an invaluable asset to start your exploration of Guatemalan history.
Kansas City, Missouri, US
The Museum of BBQ is an immersive, colourful environment that encourages you to play while you learn about the elements and regions of American barbecue. It’s intentionally based in Kansas City – a city known for its barbecue culture and a place where lots of different influences come together to create unforgettable barbecue plates.
A museum dedicated entirely to flavour, the Museum of BBQ allows guests to get lost in the sauces of America’s four main barbecue regions: Kansas City, Memphis, Texas and the Carolinas. It dives deep into every step of the sizzling practice, from meat cuts and dry rubs to how smoke, wood and fire affect the final result. After the culinary history, it’s time to dive into a can of beans - or at least into the giant ball pit that resembles one.
The exhibits show how each step of the cooking process gives flavour to every bite of delicious barbecue, as well as highlighting the regional specialities and styles that make barbecue distinct in different parts of the US. As the attraction states: "We want to help encourage you to take the flavours of barbecue and experiment the next time you make dinner or go out to eat."
Saint Lucia
A new initiative by Saint Lucia Tourism Authority working in conjunction with island conservationists to diversify tourism, Saint Lucia’s two day ‘Small 6’ safari experience aims to promote and reclaim the Caribbean island’s unique and endemic wildlife, alongside the landscapes in which they live. The project aims to direct travellers away from the beaches and high-end all-inclusive resorts. It features a series of guided hikes in the rainforest at the Des Cartier Trail in the heart of the Quilesse Forest Reserve and Praslin Island, on the little-visited east coast of the island.
The tour is led by Saint Lucian birding expert and conservationist Adams Toussaint and his team including Matthew ‘Willow’ Francois. Adams originally identified the list of these small indigenous creatures that can be spotted as you explore the island: the Saint Lucia parrot, Saint Lucia black finch, Saint Lucia worm snake, Saint Lucia racer (one of the smallest snakes in the world), Saint Lucia warbler and Saint Lucia pygmy gecko.
Kurdistan Region, Iraq
The Zagros Mountain Trail is Kurdistan's (and Iraq's) first long-distance, multi-day hiking trail. Stretching for 215 kilometres across the Zagros Mountains in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the trail provides a unique opportunity for hikers to discover one of the Middle East's least visited and most misunderstood regions.
The path connects ancient pilgrimage paths, Sumerian roads, nomadic mountain routes and the same trails used by Kurdish refugees to escape Saddam Hussein's forces during attempted genocides.
The trail provides new opportunities for the 30 local communities along its route to benefit from tourism. The project helps train local guides and connect hikers with homestays, while showcasing and protecting the natural beauty of the Kurdish mountains and the history of the Kurdish people. Rather than viewing Iraq and Kurdistan through the lens of conflict, the Zagros Mountain Trail is forging a sustainable future for adventure tourism in the region.
The project was largely funded by Abraham Path, a non-profit aiming to create a wider network of hiking trails across the Middle East.
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Best UK Tourism Project
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