Anyone in the travel industry - from agents to operators and marketing gurus - can tell you, there is nothing as exciting as feeling as if you've discovered a "where to go next" destination. Second to that, is turning others on to it.

Enter El Salvador, known as the gateway to the Mayas, it is a must-see destination for any traveler who desires to follow the saga of the Mayans, loves to hike, visit new places and be treated extraordinarily well, another trademark of an unspoiled and emerging destination - a population that is glad you came. You can actually drive the length of the country in a day; it is about 160 miles long east to west, 60 miles east to west at the north and boasts 200 miles of coastline. Because of its size and shape, it has earned the affectionate nickname of El Puglarico, The Little Thumb. Sandwiched between Honduras and Guatemala, El Salvador is playing catch-up as the first Minister of Tourism, Ruben Rochi plans the country's tourism development through 2019. (more)

Our mental itinerary traverses many of the country's 16 federal states (Länder), zooms above the Rhine, Neckar and Danube River valleys, hip-hops over highlands and woodlands, with dozens of historic cities and towns-plus a big batch of castles and palaces-scattered in every direction. Thanks to such overviews, first-time and repeat visitors can appreciate the cultural and topographical diversity of this mid-European country, carved into separate republics (capitalist West and socialist East) in 1949, then reunited in 1990.

No other continental destination can match Deutschland's all-seasons abundance of festivals and other special events. New attractions-important museum openings included-constantly pop up on local and regional calendars. And the art-and-music scene always maintains its world-class stature. (more)