Dubai has been named the world's favorite travel destination for the third year in a row at the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Destination Awards.
The 2024 Awards winners were determined based on the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings across multiple awards subcategories from travelers on Tripadvisor for accommodations, restaurants and activities in destinations worldwide in the 12 months between October 2022 and September 2023.
Tripadvisor says of third-place winner Dubai: “Everything in Dubai feels particularly spectacular, from the ultra-modern Burj Khalifa to the souks and malls full of gold and jewelry sellers.” It's a place where you can do it if you want “It’s something you can dream about, whether it’s indoor skiing, dune surfing in the desert or ziplining over the city.”
London retains its crown as Europe's number one and its third place in the global rankings, behind second-placed Bali, Indonesia. The rest of the global top five consists of Hanoi, Vietnam (fourth) and Rome (fifth). The top-ranked American destination is New York, which fell from 23rd to 25th overall.
Other popular destinations making the top 10 include Paris (sixth place); Cancun (seventh); Marrakesh (eighth); Crete (9th) and Hoi An in Vietnam (10th).
Dubai has been named the world's favorite travel destination for the third year in a row at the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Destination Awards
Bali, Indonesia takes the silver medal in the 2024 global hotlist. The destination takes the top spot in this year's new “Honeymoon Destinations” category
At the top of the travel destinations in Europe is London, which takes third place in the world ranking
The rest of the European top 10 rankings consist of Rome (second); Paris (third); Crete (fourth); Istanbul (fifth); Barcelona (sixth); Madrid (seventh); Lisbon (eighth); Amsterdam (9th) and Florence (10th).
Looking at the awards' other categories, the list of “trending destinations” – places around the world that are seeing the biggest increase in interest on Tripadvisor compared to last year – is topped by Tokyo. Tripadvisor describes the Japanese capital as follows: “The city is famously modern, but its ancient Buddhist temples, ancient teahouses and peaceful gardens offer a tranquil retreat – and a reminder of its past.”
The silver medal goes to the South Korean capital Seoul, where Tripadvisor recommends a visit to the N Seoul Tower “built on a peak in Namsan Park” and the Insadong tea houses, which “give a taste of Korean flair.”
A third Asian destination rounds out the top three – Halong Bay in Vietnam – where Tripadvisor recommends renting a kayak or taking a tour to explore the area's “amazing limestone islands, rock formations and caves.”
TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2024 – THE BEST OF THE BEST DESTINATIONS: THE MOST POPULAR OVERALL
IN THE WORLD
1. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2. Bali, Indonesia
3. London, UK
4. Hanoi, Vietnam
5. Rome, Italy
6. Paris, France
7. Cancun, Mexico
8. Marrakech, Morocco
9. Crete, Greece
10. Hoi An, Vietnam
11. New Delhi, India
12. Istanbul, Türkiye
13. Cusco, Peru
14. Barcelona, Spain
15. Bangkok, Thailand
16. Dominican Republic
17. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
18. Phuket, Thailand
19. Hurghada, Egypt
20. Madrid, Spain
21. Siem Reap, Cambodia
22. Lisbon, Portugal
23. Amsterdam, Netherlands
24. Kathmandu, Nepal
25. New York City, USA
IN EUROPE
1. London
2. Rome
3.Paris
4. Crete
5. Istanbul, Türkiye
6.Barcelona
7.Madrid
8. Lisbon
9.Amsterdam
10. Florence, Italy
11. Tenerife, Spain
12. Edinburgh, Scotland
13. Porto, Portugal
14. Santorini, Greece
15. Goreme, Türkiye
16. Budapest, Hungary
17. Prague, Czech Republic
18. Athens, Greece
19. Dublin, Ireland
20. Naples, Italy
21. Krakow, Poland
22. Malta
23. Dubrovnik, Croatia
24. Reykjavik, Iceland
25. Madeira, Portugal
IN THE USA
1. New York
2. Oahu, Hawaii
3. Las Vegas, Nevada
4. New Orleans, Louisiana
5. Miami Beach, Miami
6. Maui, Hawaii
7. Nashville, Tennessee
8. Charleston, South Carolina
9.Chicago, Illinois
10. Key West, Florida
11. Kauai, Florida
12. San Francisco, California
13. Washington D.C
14. Asheville, North Carolina
15. San Diego, California
16. Sedona, Arizona
17. Boston, Massachusetts
18. Savannah, Georgia
19. St. Augustine, Florida
20. Moab, Utah
21. Seattle, Washington State
22. Austin, Texas
23. Los Angeles, California
24. Branson, Missouri
25. Scottsdale, Arizona
Source: Tripadvisor
Travellers' Choice Awards Best of the Best winners are destinations whose hotels, restaurants and activities have received a high number of outstanding ratings and opinions from reviewers over a 12-month period.
Rome takes fifth place in the global popularity ranking. The Italian capital takes second place in Europe and also in the “Best of the Best Food Destinations” category.
The highest-ranked American destination in terms of popularity is New York, which ranks 25th overall
Hanoi, Vietnam is ranked fourth in the world. But the city takes the top spot in the list of the best culinary destinations of 2024
The rest of the top ten trending list includes Palawan Island, Philippines (fourth); Sapa, Vietnam (fifth); Bogota, Colombia (sixth place); Pattaya, Thailand (seventh place); Alajuela, Costa Rica (eighth); Phnom Penh, Cambodia (9th) and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (10th).
Kathmandu is number one in the Best of the Best Nature Destinations category, which celebrates travelers' appetite for adventure and the great outdoors and aims to inspire aspiring explorers planning bucket-list trips.
The Nepalese capital is followed by Halong Bay in second place and Egypt's Hurghada, which secures the bronze medal after missing out with fourth place last year.
The rest of the top 10 is made up of Mauritius (fourth); Lombok, Indonesia (fifth); Kauai, USA (sixth place); Zanzibar Island, Tanzania (seventh place); Grand Cayman, Caribbean (eighth); Kruger National Park, South Africa (9th) and Martinique, Caribbean (10th).
TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2024 – TRAVEL DESTINATIONS: TREND, NATURE AND CULTURE
TRENDY DESTINATIONS
1. Tokyo, Japan
2. Seoul, South Korea
3. Halong Bay, Vietnam
4. Palawan Island, Philippines
5. Sapa, Vietnam
6. Bogota, Colombia
7. Pattaya, Thailand
8. Alajuela, Costa Rica
9. Phnom Penh, Cambodia
10. Kuala Lampur, Malaysia
11. Jeju Island, South Korea
12. Viti Levu, Fiji
13. Chennai (Madras), India
14. Puebla, Mexico
15. Bandung, Indonesia
16. Panama City, Panama
17. Huaraz, Peru
18. Nairobi, Kenya
19. La Paz, Bolivia
20. Port Ghalib, Egypt
21. Brasov, Romania
22. Manra, Ecuador
23. Casablanca, Morocco
24. Santiago, Chile
25. Taipei, Taiwan
BEST NATURE DESTINATIONS
1. Kathmandu, Nepal
2. Halong Bay, Vietnam
3. Hurghada, Egypt
4. Mauritius
5. Lombok, Indonesia
6. Kauai, USA
7. Zanzibar Island, Tanzania
8. Grand Cayman
9. Guadeloupe
10. Kruger National Park, South Africa
11. Martinique
12. Wadi Rum, Jordan
12. Lanzarote, Spain
14. Merzouga, Morocco
15. Roatan, Honduras
16. Kochi, India
17. Cozumel, Mexico
18. Ambergris Caye, Belize
19. Barbados
20. Natal, Brazil
21. Saint John
22. Quepos, Costa Rica
23. Tangalle, Sri Lanka
24. Fethiye, Türkiye
25. Snowdonia National Park, USA
BEST CULTURAL DESTINATIONS
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
10. Tokyo, Japan
11. Prague, Czech Republic
12. Santiago, Chile
13. Porto, Portugal
14. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
15. Seville, Spain
16. Vienna, Austria
17. Singapore
18. Berlin, Germany
19. Amman, Jordan
20. Buenos Aires, Argentina
21. Quito, Ecuador
22. Hong Kong, China
23. Bogota, Colombia
24. Yerevan, Armenia
25. Baku, Azerbaijan
Source: Tripadvisor
The most popular “trend” destination is Tokyo, which is also the 10th most culturally rich destination in the world
The silver medal in the Trending ranking goes to Seoul, South Korea, where Tripadvisor recommends visiting the N Seoul Tower, “built on a peak in Namsan Park” and the Insadong teahouses, which “give a taste of Korean flair.”
In a ranking dedicated to US destinations, the crowned champion is New York, followed by Oahu (second) and Las Vegas (third). Pictured: Hanauma Bay on the island of Oahu
The “Best of the Best Culture Destinations” ranking is aimed at those interested in history, art and culture. According to Tripadvisor, there are “two new entries for 2024” in the category, with Cusco, Peru in second place and Agra, India in third place.
“But it is Cuba that takes the top spot, moving up five places to first in the world compared to last year,” it continued. The top five is completed by Fes, Morocco (fourth) and Athens, Greece (fifth).
Other culturally rich destinations in the top 10 include Dublin, Ireland (sixth place); Colombo, Sri Lanka (seventh place); Hue, Vietnam (eighth); Edinburgh, UK (9th) and Tokyo, Japan (10th).
Next up? It's the foodie category. The “Best of the Best Food Destinations” ranking “offers a diverse culinary delight,” says Tripadvisor, which points out that Europe “occupies half of the world’s top 10 spots.” They are Rome (second); Crete (third); Florence (fifth); Barcelona (seventh) and Lisbon (ninth).
TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2024 – TRAVEL DESTINATIONS: HONEYMOON AND SUSTAINABILITY
BEST HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD
1. Bali, Indonesia
2. Hoi An, Vietnam
3. Maldives
4. Dominican Republic
5. Mauritius
6. Khao Lak, Thailand
7. Jamaica
8. Santorini
9. Zanzibar Island, Tanzania
10. Venice, Italy
11. Saint Lucia
12. Gramado, Brazil
13. Lisbon, Portugal
14. Ambergris Caye, Belize
15. Tulum, Mexico
16. Dubrovnik, Croatia
17. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
18. Niagra-on-the-Lake, Canada
19. Budapest, Hungary
20. Prague, Czech Republic
21. Viti Levu, Fiji
22. Kauai, USA
23. Barbados
21. Killarney, Ireland
25. Antigua
BEST SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS IN THE 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, UK
11. Bangkok, Thailand
12. Barcelona, Spain
13. Montreal, Canada
14. Milan, Italy
15. Zurich, Switzerland
Source: Tripadvisor
Cuba in the Caribbean tops Tripadvisor's Best of the Best Culture list
Kathmandu, Nepal is the number one nature destination for 2024
Vietnam's Halong Bay takes second place on the winners' podium for “Nature Destinations” and third place for “Trending Destinations.”
“But it is Hanoi, Vietnam, that ranks No. 1 among foodies on Tripadvisor, climbing two spots this year to claim the top spot in the world,” it continued.
The remaining foodie destinations in the top 10 are Cusco, Peru (fourth); New Delhi, India (sixth place); New Orleans, USA (eighth) and Phuket, Thailand (tenth).
In a ranking dedicated to U.S. destinations, the crowned champion is followed by New York Oahu (second); Las Vegas (third); New Orleans (fourth) and Miami Beach (fifth).
This year there are two new categories, including “Best of the Best Sustainable Destinations,” which “recognizes winners from around the world who are particularly committed to sustainability.” Here Copenhagen takes the gold medal, followed by Stockholm in second and Bordeaux in third.
“Europe leads the way when it comes to green cities, taking eight of the top ten spots,” notes Tripadvisor.
TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2024 – EATING
BEST FOOD DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD
1. Hanoi
2. Rome
3. Crete
4. Cusco
5. Florence
6. New Delhi
7.Barcelona
8. New Orleans
9. Lisbon
10. Phuket
BEST FOOD DESTINATIONS IN EUROPE
1. Rome
2. Crete
3. Florence
4. Barcelona
5. Lisbon
6.Paris
7. Istanbul
8. Athens
9. Postage
10. Edinburgh
BEST ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS IN THE USA
1. New Orleans
2. Charleston
3. Maui
4. New York City
5. Savannah
6. Nashville
7.Miami Beach
8.Boston
9. Asheville
10.San Diego
Source: Tripadvisor
A new category this year is the “Best of the Best Sustainable Destinations” category, with the Danish capital Copenhagen taking the top spot
According to the latest Tripadvisor awards, Hoi An is the second most popular “honeymoon destination” and the 10th most popular location overall
Paris is the third most popular travel destination in Europe and the sixth most popular worldwide
The other new category aimed at romantic getaways this year is the “Best of the Best Honeymoon Destinations” category, in which Bali comes first, followed by Hoi An, Vietnam in second place and the Maldives in the third place.
Commenting on the 2024 rankings, Sarah Firshein, Editorial Director at Tripadvisor, said: “Winners like Dubai, Tokyo, Paris and Marrakech show that our community has a voracious appetite for destinations with vibrant world-class arts and culture scenes, restaurants and seemingly limitless attractions and experiences.
“It’s also great to see a rebound in long-distance travel to Asia as the region fully reopens post-pandemic.” As Tripadvisor’s Trending Destinations list shows, travelers are eager to get out and explore with excitement.”
View all sub-category winners here: tripadvisor.co.uk/TravellersChoice-Destinations.