5 budget destinations you must visit in 2017

Cheap flights make 2017 a great time to travel

It’s time to start packing your backpack. For American travellers, the dollar is much stronger so Europe, Asia and South America will be cheaper than before.

UK sterling has fallen too, making London more affordable than it has been in decades. Even better airfares are expected to drop in 2017, according to American Express Global Business Travel, due to overcapacity and competition.

We've been monitoring travel trends, and there are some beautiful countries on our list for next year. Check our tips for the most affordable travel destinations in 2017 and discover where you want to go next.

Canada

Image by VIctor (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Canada are celebrating their 150th birthday in 2017 and they want everybody to celebrate it. Budget travellers can sign up for a free Discovery pass that gives you free access to Canada's national parks in 2017.

That means any area run by Parks Canada – including Banff NP and Jasper NP – will be free to visit! 2017 is a great time to visit Canada, as you can enjoy a spectacular range of events throughout its landmark birthday.

Portugal

Image by Juan Mercader (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Portugal is the country on every traveller's lips. Like Canada it has a big celebration to promote and His Holiness Pope Francis will attend the Fatima shrine in May 2017. Like the shrine at Lourdes, France, Fatima attracts huge numbers of visitors - around 6 million - each year.

Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto will be brimming with culture, food and architecture in 2017. Even better, the country is expanding its affordable air routes, making it a top destination to visit.

Cuba

Image by Franck Vervial (Flickr/Creative Commons)

With the country changing faster than ever before, you need to book now if you want to see the old Cuba. If you wait a few more years, they’ll have fibre optic broadband and contactless self-service machines…But if you want broken down Cadillac’s, unspoiled beaches and colonial Spanish architecture washed down with rum, then make sure Cuba is on your 2017 bucket list.

Iceland

Image by Moyan Brenn (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Since Games of Thrones (GoT) featured Iceland in season two, the Atlantic island’s alien landscapes have lured fans from across the world. The HBO series has had a massive impact on the country’s tourism numbers, rising from 566,000 in 2011, to more than 1 million in 2016.

Even if you've never watched GoT and have no intention of doing so, you're bound to fall in love with Iceland’s terrain. Millennial travellers in particular love bathing in the Blue Lagoon, which enriches your skin in nutrient water, making it the perfect tonic for a swimsuit selfie.

Greece

Image by Mariusz Kluzniak (Flickr/Creative)

Greece is expecting a bumper year for tourism, with millions of visitors flocking to Athens because of political strife in Egypt and Turkey. Offering beauty, culture and romance in a safe environment, Greece has everything a traveller wants from a European holiday.

Make sure to visit the volcanic beauty of Santorini and the crumbling wonders of the Ancient World in Crete and Corfu. Attracting visitors from all over the world, you can visit Greece and more when you book a holiday with HostelsClub.

Header image by Angelo Domini (Flickr/Creative Commons)