If you’re like us, most of your working days are spent on fairly serious topics. Our usual focus is on things like finding suitable expat housing abroad, compiling details on international schools, host country banking services, security issues, and business style – just to name a few.
Rarely do we spend time on tourism websites. And when we do, it’s typically in the context of rounding out cultural content or linking to detailed information on business entertainment venues.
Since it is officially summer — in the northern hemisphere, anyway – this might be a good time for a newsletter that serves as a vacation for the mind.
Some countries’ and cities’ official tourism websites are gorgeous and arresting, presenting a sea of information with clarity and beauty. Skift, a travel industry intelligence and marketing company, compiled a list of the best tourism websites. These are definitely worth a look.
Take a little virtual trip and enjoy a feast for the eyes with these selected websites, with my own notes about particular gems:
Belize: http://www.travelbelize.org/
Brazil: http://www.visitbrasil.com/
Good practical tips: http://www.visitbrasil.com/visitbrasil/opencms/portalembratur/en/dicas-praticas.html
Britain: http://lovewall.visitbritain.com/en
Copenhagen: http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen-tourist
Los Angeles: http://www.discoverlosangeles.com/
Malaysia: http://tourism.gov.my/en/us
Impressive number of language options!
New Zealand: http://www.newzealand.com/int/
Norway: http://www.visitnorway.com/us/
Oregon: http://traveloregon.com/
The Philippines: http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/#
Skane: http://visitskane.com/en
Another good one for business: http://www.skane.com/en/business-region-skane
Stockholm: http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/
I’m partial to this amazing relocation section: http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/moving-to-stockholm/
For a look at the rest of the top 20, click here. It seems the Scandinavians’ reputation for design is well deserved, leading them to heavily represent the top picks. Copenhagen, Norway, Skane, and Stockholm all have beautiful sites.
This might also be a good place to point out some favorite government websites I’ve come across in my work. New Zealand makes it easy, clear, and fun to learn about relocating there. Canada, though not named in the “best tourist websites” above, always delivers a tremendous amount of online information in a direct and organized way – no small feat for a country as large and varied as Canada.
Maybe this will inspire you to visit somewhere you’ve never thought about. Or, if you’re already traveling for business, perhaps you’ll want a closer look at the leisure activities nearby.
Written by Ellen Harris, International Product Director
