• Asia dominates Trending Destinations list globally for 2024
• Dubai named No. 1 Top Destination in the World for the third year running
• The American South highly favored on the Food Destinations U.S. list: New Orleans ranks No. 1 a second time; six of top 10 culinary cities are in the South

NEEDHAM, Mass.,  Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Tripadvisor^®, the world’s largest travel guidance platform, today announced its first Travelers’ Choice^® Award for 2024: the Best of the Best Destinations. With roughly four in five (81%) Americans planning vacations in 2024, these are the most sought-after destinations for the year, according to Tripadvisor reviewers.

Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Destinations span seven categories for 2024: Top Destinations (formerly Popular Destinations), Trending Destinations, Culture Destinations, Food Destinations, Nature Destinations and two new subcategories this year, Honeymoon Destinations and Sustainable Destinations.

2024 Travel Outlook
Last year saw a resurgence of people taking holidays to all corners of the globe and Tripadvisor research indicates that travel is set to see sustained momentum in 2024. Tripadvisor data reveals that almost half (45%) are planning three or more trips, 46% will take at least one international trip, and the vast majority (93%) of Americans are planning to spend the same, if not more, on travel this year.

Those seeking help with travel planning this year can draw inspiration from the Best of the Best Destination lists, with guidance from the global travel community. Winning destinations are largely determined by an analysis of Tripadvisor reviews and ratings from a recent 12-month period. With a multitude of destinations recognized across seven award subcategories and a geographic spread spanning six continents and 80 countries, there’s something for everyone.

Sarah Firshein, Head of Editorial at Tripadvisor, said: “With 94% of Americans planning to travel as much, if not more, than last year, enthusiasm is high and this year’s list of Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Destinations really reflects that excitement.

“Winners like Dubai, Tokyo, Paris, and Marrakech indicate that our community has an unbridled appetite for destinations with vibrant arts-and-culture scenes, top-notch restaurants, and seemingly limitless attractions and experiences. It’s also great to see a rebound on long-haul trips to Asia, with the region having fully opened up post-pandemic; as Tripadvisor’s Trending Destinations list shows, travelers are keen to get out there and explore with gusto.”

Trending for 2024
With emerging travel hotspots for 2024, Asia comes out top, securing the top five places in the world’s Trending Destinations – which identifies places that have seen the greatest year-over-year growth in interest – and making up an impressive eight out of the top 10 destinations. Tokyo, Japan is No. 1 for 2024, followed by Seoul, South Korea at No. 2 and Halong Bay, Vietnam at No. 3. Central and South America are the only other regions to make the top 10, with Bogota, Colombia at No. 6 and Alajuela, Costa Rica at No. 8.

In the U.S., a diverse range of destinations are on the rise for Tripadvisor reviewers this year; from the Floridian beach destinations like St. Petersburg and Marathon, to capitals of cool Brooklyn, New York; Provincetown, Massachusetts; and Portland, Oregon and locales like West Yellowstone, Montana and Homer, Alaska to access breathtaking natural wonders, there are places to suit the needs of every traveler.

Travelers’ Favorite Spots
With almost three fourths (71%) of Americans planning to return to their favorite places this season, reviewers on Tripadvisor are loud and proud about their most beloved destinations. The reigning champion, Dubai, has been named Top Destination in the World for the third year running, solidifying its position as Tripadvisor reviewers’ favorite destination. In the U.S., New York City, which offers something for every traveler, holds onto the No. 1 spot a second year in a row.

New for 2024
With 74% of American travelers concerned about the impact of ‘over tourism’ on destinations,* environmentally safe travel is increasingly top of mind. Tripadvisor has partnered with Corona, a global AB InBev brand to launch a new Sustainable Destinations subcategory, recognizing winners from around the world deemed to have strong commitments to sustainability. While Europe has the lion’s share of environmentally responsible cities in the top 10, with Copenhagen, Denmark in first place, Asia Pacific is also well represented, with Singapore and Melbourne lauded for their efforts.

Sustainable Destinations – World

1. Copenhagen, Denmark
2. Stockholm, Sweden
3. Bordeaux, France
4. Helsinki, Finland
5. Singapore
6. Melbourne, Australia
7. Oslo, Norway
8. Brussels, Belgium
9. Galway, Ireland
10. Belfast, United Kingdom

Also new this year, in the inaugural Honeymoon Destinations subcategory, island retreats are the most romantic getaways, according to Tripadvisor reviewers. Destinations across Indonesia, the Maldives, Mauritius, the Caribbean and Greece all make up the top 10. Bali takes the No. 1 spot, followed by Hoi An, Vietnam at No. 2 and the Maldives at No. 3.

Honeymoon Destinations – World

1. Bali, Indonesia
2. Hoi An, Vietnam
3. Maldives
4. Dominican Republic
5. Mauritius 
6. Khao Lak, Thailand
7. Jamaica
8. Santorini, Greece
9. Zanzibar Island, Tanzania
10. Venice, Italy 

Best of the rest
Nature sightseeing is the second most popular trip type for Americans, according to Tripadvisor’s latest Seasonal Travel Index, with roughly a third prioritizing adventure and about a quarter planning to enjoy nature as the purpose of their trips this season. To aid travelers’ desires to celebrate the living world this year, Tripadvisor, in partnership with Corona, a global AB InBev brand, provides a diverse array of pristine, top-rated locales in its best Nature Destinations list. From hiking the Himalayas from Kathmandu (No. 1) to taking in sunset over the emerald waters of Halong Bay (No. 2.) and scuba diving in Hurghada (No. 3) to see marine life along Egypt’s majestic Red Sea coast, there’s something for every type of traveler.

“As a brand born at the beach, preserving the natural world is core to who we are and we believe that spending time in nature relaxes us, helps us unwind and disconnect to reconnect. That’s why we’re excited to collaborate with Tripadvisor, who shares our belief that people are at their best when outdoors and exploring, and announce the 2024 Best of the Best Nature Destinations and sponsor a new category for its annual destination awards – Best of the Best Sustainable Destinations,” said Clarissa Pantoja, Global Vice President of Marketing Corona, AB InBev.

Nature Destinations – World

1. Kathmandu, Nepal
2. Halong Bay, Vietnam
3. Hurghada, Egypt
4. Mauritius
5. Lombok, Indonesia
6. Kauai, Hawaii, U.S. 
7. Zanzibar, Tanzania
8. Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
9. Guadalupe
10. Kruger National Park, South Africa

Culture trips remain popular; according to Tripadvisor’s most recent Seasonal Travel Index, one quarter (25%) of Americans plan cultural sightseeing trips in the coming months. There are two new entries to the top three Culture Destinations for 2024, with Cusco, Peru at No. 2 and Agra, India at No. 3 but it’s Cuba that takes the top spot, climbing five places from last year to be named No. 1.

Culture Destinations – World

1. Cuba
2. Cusco, Peru
3. Agra, India
4. Fes, Morocco
5. Athens, Greece
6. Dublin, Ireland
7. Colombo, Sri Lanka
8. Hue, Vietnam
9. Edinburgh, United Kingdom
10. Tokyo, Japan 

More than half (57%) of Americans are most excited about what they will eat on their upcoming trip, and this year’s best Food Destinations list serves up a diverse culinary delight. Europe takes half of the top 10 spots in the world, with Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal all popular, but it’s Hanoi, Vietnam, that comes out top for foodies on Tripadvisor, climbing two places this year to claim the No. 1 spot in the world.

With its famed culinary scene, New Orleans has held onto its title for number one Food Destination in the U.S. for a second year in a row – also ranking No. 8 in the world. Overall, Southern destinations rank highly among foodies on Tripadvisor, with six of the top 10 cities in the American South. 

*Source: Phocuswright’s Sustainability in Travel, 2023

Methodologies
1. Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Destinations
The 2024 Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Destinations are calculated based on the quality and quantity of reviews, specific to each award subcategory, for accommodations, restaurants, and things to do in destinations from travelers globally on Tripadvisor between October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023.

2. Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Sustainable Destinations List
In partnership with the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDSM), the 100 destinations were assessed according to detailed methodologies and metrics focused on measuring sustainability. Tripadvisor then overlaid its traveler data by identifying traveler reviews containing terms referencing sustainability, such as “environmentally friendly”, “eco-tourism”, “waste reduction”, etc. and searched through 300,000 English language Tripadvisor reviews, with a four bubble rating or higher, over a 12-month period (October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023). This allowed the identification of destinations in order of rank, starting with the destination with the highest percentage (%) of reviews discussing sustainability (and had a bubble rating of 4 or above) amongst all reviews of that destination. Please see the full methodology here.

3. Tripadvisor Seasonal Travel Index
The data cited in this release was gathered and analyzed from two key sources:

1. 1. A Tripadvisor Consumer Sentiment Survey, based on data drawn from an online survey of over 2,400 consumers, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted between October 9-13, 2023 across six countries, including Australia, Italy, Japan, Singapore, U.K. & U.S.
   2. Site behavioral data sourced from first party traffic data on the Tripadvisor platform for searches made by travelers in the U.S., U.K. and Japan between August 1 – September 30, 2023 for travel between December 1, 2023 – February 29, 2024.

About Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel guidance platform*, helps millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and contributions, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.

Tripadvisor LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP). The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps, including the following:

www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com, www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.seatguru.com, www.viator.com.

*  Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, September 2023
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files

SOURCE Tripadvisor