As travel continues to make its return in most parts of the world, the eleventh annual Booking Traveller Review Awards recognize travel providers from across 220 countries and territories for their commitment to providing consistently excellent service and hospitality over the course of the year.
Based on a pool of over 240 million verified customer reviews on Booking.com, 1,364,415 accommodation partners, 230 car rental providers and 58 airport taxi suppliers are receiving a Traveller Review Award 2023.
The world’s most welcoming destinations have been identified based on the share of accommodation partners receiving a Traveller Review Award 2023 and provide even the most seasoned traveller with bucket list inspiration for their future trips.
It’s that personal attention to detail when checking in or sharing helpful recommendations to explore the destination like a local that demonstrates how our partners show up and shine for travellers in a multitude of ways each and every day.
Arjan Dijk, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Booking
As the most-awarded property type globally, apartments take the top spot for the sixth year in a row, with a grand total of 629,421 partners being recognized for their efforts in the 2023 edition of the Traveller Review Awards. For the very first time in the history of the awards, holiday homes (177,795) have claimed the second spot from hotels (172,036), with guest houses (91,635) and bed and breakfasts (78,247) rounding out the top five.
Nearly one in ten accommodation award recipients globally (122,095) have also been recognized with a Travel Sustainable badge for their efforts to operate more sustainably. In fact, Travel Sustainable accommodations were three times more likely to receive a Traveller Review Award 2023, compared to those not being recognized with a Travel Sustainable badge. Out of all accommodation types, hotels had the highest share of Travel Sustainable accommodations (15%) receiving a Traveller Review Award 2023.
For the fourth year, Booking is recognising in-trip transport providers for their consistently great service, with 230 car rental companies from across 150 countries picking up a Traveller Review Award 2023. In addition, 58 airport taxi providers, representing a total of 6,131 drivers from across 120 countries are also being recognized with a 2023 award.
“These awards are our way of thanking our partners for their dedication to making everyone feel welcome and to going out of their way to create incredible experiences for our customers. Whether it’s a friendly greeting from a taxi driver at the airport, sharing some local driving tips at the car rental counter or a thoughtful note waiting in the room, our passionate partners help make every trip more special”, said Arjan Dijk, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Booking.
This year’s Most Welcoming Places on Earth span five continents and feature hidden coastal gems, rural destinations surrounded by breath-taking natural beauty and even a bustling Latin American metropolis.
1. Most welcoming cities in the world
- Polignano a Mare, Italy
- Hualien City, Taiwan
- San Sebastián, Spain
- Dresden, Germany
- Klaipeda, Lithuania
- York, UK
- Ushuaia, Argentina
- Porto De Galinhas, Brazil
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Gold Coast, Australia
2. Most welcoming regions in the world
- La Rioja, Spain
- Epirus, Greece
- Oberosterreich, Austria
- County Down, UK
- Mures, Romania
- Marlborough, New Zealand
- Ninh Binh, Vietnam
- Limon, Costa Rica
- Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada
- North Dakota, US
