Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Shropshire among Abta’s ‘destinations to watch’ for holidaymakers in 2024

The county is the only UK location included in the list by travel trade organisation.

Neil Lancefield
Friday 05 January 2024 07:49 GMT
Ironbridge Gorge is one of the attractions for the holidaymaker in Shropshire (Alamy/PA)
Ironbridge Gorge is one of the attractions for the holidaymaker in Shropshire (Alamy/PA)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Shropshire has been named one of 10 “destinations to watch” for holidaymakers this year.

The county is the only UK location included in the list by travel trade organisation Abta, which described it as a “rural gem” with “beautiful landscapes, towns and villages”.

Visitors can view the Ironbridge Gorge, which is famed for being one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.

Many people are looking for inspiration and new suggestions of where to go

Graeme Buck, Abta

Among the other destinations on the list are: the Spanish region of Extremadura, Saxony in Germany; Vietnam and Zambia.

The first Saturday in January is referred to as Sunshine Saturday by the travel industry as it is one of the busiest days of the year for holiday bookings.

Abta director of communications Graeme Buck said: “We know many people are looking for inspiration and new suggestions of where to go, so our team of experts at Abta has put together a list of 10 destinations to watch which offer varied and memorable experiences around the globe.

“Some are a little unexpected, and all are well worth a visit.

“The destinations showcase the amazing range of experiences that our world offers to holidaymakers.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in