TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 01/07/13 -- Canada's favourite travel company, itravel2000, has reported their most popular travel destinations of 2012. The top 10 list for the past year is based on the online and call centre bookings.

Travellers across this country still preferred the popular vacation hot spots like Cuba, and traditionally famous destinations such as Florida, but other destinations such as Jamaica, Great Britain, Costa Rica, and Italy have caught the attention of Canadian travellers this year.

The top 10 destinations for 2012 are listed below:

1. Cuba: Breathtaking beaches, amazing golf courses, and genuine hospitality, Cuba vacations have increased in bookings for 2012, making it the top favourite travel destination for Canadians.

2. Mexico: With so many great cities to visit, the close geographic proximity to Canada, no shortage of flights, Mexico makes the list at number 2. Canadian families and couples preferred Mexico for the food, culture, rich history, and even for beach destination weddings and honeymoons.

3. US: Florida and Nevada top the list for US travel destinations. Canadians love visiting Orlando and Las Vegas for the many attractions from iconic theme parks to the magic of Cirque du Soleil theatre performances, fine dining, and great shopping.

4. Dominican Republic: An endless supply of the world's most pristine beaches, Punta Cana is known for its many all-inclusive resorts. Canadians escaped to this tropical getaway and enjoyed the white sandy beaches, swaying coconut trees, and crystal blue water.

5. Canada - Homegrown travel saw the most increases in bookings for 2012. Canadians travelled to Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta in strong numbers. With various National treasures like Toronto's CN Tower and the Royal Ontario Museum, events like The Grey Cup held in Toronto this past year, the annual Calgary Stampede, the spectacular landscapes and wildlife of British Columbia taking in all the outdoor activities - water/winter sports, Canadians don't have to travel far for a great getaway.

6. Jamaica: Canadian travellers owned bragging rights after they discovered Jamaica's many miraculous waterfalls, tasted the best sugarcane and Rum on beautiful beaches, and even visited the Bob Marley Museum.

7. Bahamas: For Canadians who were looking for new beaches to explore, Nassau/Paradise Island was a preferred choice. Short flights from Canada, several watersports, and even opportunities to swim with the dolphins, Bahamas makes the top 10 list for favourite travel destinations.

8. Great Britain: With the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London this past year; Canadians had an additional reason to visit London, besides all the historic sites like the London Bridge, Stonehenge, Buckingham Palace & Windsor Castle, or popular tours like Harry Potter and The Beatles.

9. Costa Rica: Besides the tropical beaches, Costa Rica is a destination full of adrenaline for adventure-seeking Canadians. The land of volcanoes, rain forests, waterfalls, and rivers, travellers have many activities to choose from - rafting, snorkeling, kayaking, sport fishing, surfing, to name a few.

10. Italy: Rich in culture, food, and romance, Italy has it all and caps the list at 10th most popular travel destination of our Canadian travellers in 2012. From famous landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Sistine Chapel, to rich flavours in wine, espresso, and gelato, Canadians experienced the many Italian delicacies, when in Rome.

"Our travel offerings have grown so much and we have seen such strong gains in our 2012 vacation bookings," Jonathan Carroll, president of itravel2000, explained. "We understand Canadians love to travel and explore new places - that is why we continuously work with our various travel partners to offer our customers the best value, whatever their travel needs are, year over year."

From Alaskan cruises to adventures tours in Thailand, destination weddings in Jamaica to Florida Disney vacations, itravel2000 has popular trips to suit everyone's travel interests. Make sure to check out the full list of top travel offers to help decide where to head off to next for 2013.

For more information, visit www.itravel2000.com. To book a vacation, call 1-866-888-1180.

About itravel2000

itravel2000.com, a leading travel retailer in Canada for over 18 years is a full service travel company providing both live travel experts and online solutions for booking all travel arrangements. Visit us at www.itravel2000.com.