Brazil: Fun and Games
Hot on the heels of World Cup soccer, it's an Olympian year for Brazil. Aside from the sexy glamour of Rio its gold medal attractions include the Amazonian rainforest, the wildlife of the Pantanal, the Iguassu Falls and the beaches of Bahia. But don't underestimate the sheer scale of the country; Brazil is the 5th biggest in the world.

Two other Latin American countries are likely to see a surge in visitors from May when British Airways introduces nonstop flights to Costa Rica and Peru.

Australia: Barrier Cream
As well as last year's visit of Prince Charles and Camilla, Australia will also feature prominently on TV with the screening of Sir David Attenborough's forthcoming three part BBC 1 series devoted entirely to the Great Barrier Reef. Our top island resorts include the remote, rugged and utterly beautiful Lizard, the romantic 16 villa hideaway of Bedarra and the ultra chic and exclusive Orpheus fringed by white sand beaches.

USA: Park Parade
America's National Park Service celebrates its 100th birthday in 2016. Created to 'conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein' you'll find national parks in 27 states. California, with nine, has the most including Yosemite, defined by soaring granite cliffs and monoliths, dramatic waterfalls and forests, and Death Valley, the hottest, lowest and driest place in the USA. Both are easily combined with the Grand Canyon in Arizona on a two week trip.

Africa: Ahead Of The Game
Botswana's Okavango is the largest inland delta in the world, a vast 16,000 sq km biomass of lagoons, water channels and islands which constitutes one of the planet's richest sanctuaries for wildlife. Safari sightings include predators (lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal), plus herds of elephant and buffalo, pods of hippos, stately giraffe and a menagerie of other species. Botswana, which next year celebrates 50 years since gaining independence, was recently voted the number one destination in the world for travellers by Lonely Planet.

The World: Going With The Flow
River cruising continues to be one of the fastest growing (but slowest moving!) holidays. Of the many different European rivers that offer cruising (Rhine, Rhone, Moselle, Elbe, Seine, Duoro, Volga etc) , the Danube is arguably the perfect choice for first time river cruisers. Once one of Europe's main arteries of trade and commerce, there's a stock of historic sights, including Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest on a classic one week itinerary. Among the choice of far flung cruising rivers are the Amazon (famously flowing through Brazil but the most interesting miles are those that slice through Peru) and both the Mekong and the Irrawaddy, two of Asia's most fascinating waterways.

Arabia: Exotic Excitement
With so much of the Muslim world either officially off limits or unlikely to appeal to all but the intrepid traveller, the new demand for Iran may come as something of a surprise. The improved relations with the west means a new wave of interest, for both independent travellers and those on an escorted tour, with visitors experiencing its rich seam of history, exquisite art and architecture, exotic bazaars, dramatic landscapes and friendly, welcoming people.

Cuba: Intoxicating Rhythms
In the wake of the visit from John Kerry and the reopening of the respective US and Cuban embassies, the island is on our hot list in anticipation of a likely invasion by tourists from the US who previously have been banned from visiting. Cuba is a classic in the 'go now' gazetteer of holiday hot spots.

Sri Lanka: New Parts
With the end to internal conflict with the Tamils, both the north and east of this tropical teardrop of an island are being discovered by visitors. Sri Lanka's coastal areas, including the beaches of Trincomalee, can be easily combined with touring the more familiar sights, including the ruined city of Anuradhapura, the rock citadel of Sigiriya, culturally rich Kandy and the tea plantations and British colonial heritage in the hill country. One newcomer in the south is Tri Lanka, the island's first eco-friendly luxury hotel overlooking Koggola lake with just ten individual villas and suites, a 21-metre infinity swimming pool, open-sided yoga shala and a spa with steam cavern.

Other long haul destinations destined for a new wave of demand by travellers include Burma, Ethiopia, Nepal, Mozambique and Bhutan.

For more details of any of these destinations, contact The Ultimate Travel Company (020 7386 4646; www.theultimatretravelcompany.co.uk).

For press information please contact Gloria Ward (020 7386 4646: e-mail gloria@theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk)