When Travel + Leisure magazine released its Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012 earlier this week, there was only one United States location on the list.
That place? Bentonville, Arkansas.
The “must-see travel destinations of 2012” were compiled by the magazine’s staff, and the list is made up of cities, countries, and regions from around the globe.
Bentonville made the list thanks to the recently-opened, world-class Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
From the article:
Until now, Bentonville, Arkansas, has been famous for one thing: it’s the home of big-box retailer Walmart. But Alice Walton, youngest heir to the empire, is using a large share of her wealth—estimated by Forbes at $21 billion—to transform the region into a world-class cultural destination. The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, opened in November, is a showcase for Walton’s impressive collection—and an audacious gamble that a large-scale arts institution can thrive in the Ozarks.
Travel + Leisure’s 12 Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012
1. Sri Lanka
2. Toronto, Canada
3. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
4. Guimarães, Portugal
5. Abu Dhabi
6. Costa Navarino
7. Xishuangbanna, China
8. Southern Bahia, Brazil
9. Hamburg, Germany
10. Panama
11. Mozambique’s Northern Coast
12. Bentonville, Arkansas
