The Results Are In: Tripadvisor’s Top 2024 Destinations According to Global Travelers

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

Tripadvisor^®, the World’s largest travel guidance platform, 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. Analyzing Tripadvisor reviews and ratings from 12 months largely determines winning destinations. With many 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 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 – identifying areas that have seen the most significant 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.

Trending Destinations – World	Trending Destinations – U.S.
1. Tokyo, Japan	1. Napa, California
2. Seoul, South Korea	2. St. Petersburg, Florida
3. Halong Bay, Vietnam	3. Marathon, Florida
4. Palawan Island, Philippines	4. Brooklyn, New York
5. Sapa, Vietnam	5. Provincetown, Massachusetts
6. Bogota, Colombia	6. West Yellowstone, Montana
7. Pattaya, Thailand	7. Homer, Alaska
8. Alajuela, Costa Rica	8. Eureka Springs, Arkansas
9. Phnom Penh, Cambodia	9. Portland, Oregon
10. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	10. Kanab, Utah

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, 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.

Top Destinations – World	Top Destinations – U.S.
1. Dubai, United Arab Emirates	1. New York City, New York
2. Bali, Indonesia	2. Oahu, Hawaii
3. London, United Kingdom	3. Las Vegas, Nevada
4. Hanoi, Vietnam	4. New Orleans, Louisiana
5. Rome, Italy	5. Miami Beach, Florida
6. Paris, France	6. Maui, Hawaii
7. Cancun, Mexico	7. Nashville, Tennessee
8. Marrakech, Morocco	8. Charleston, South Carolina
9. Crete, Greece	9. Chicago, Illinois
10. Hoi An, Vietnam	10. Key West, Florida

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 A.B. InBev brand, to launch a new Sustainable Destinations subcategory, recognizing winners from around the World deemed to have firm commitments to sustainability. While Europe has the lion’s share of environmentally responsible cities in the top 10, with Copenhagen and Denmark in first place, Asia Pacific is also well represented, with Singapore and Melbourne lauded for their efforts.

Sustainable Destinations – World

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

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 A.B. 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 the 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 and helps us unwind and disconnect to reconnect. That’s why we’re excited to collaborate with Tripadvisor, which 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

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 Cuba takes the top spot, climbing five places from last year to be named No. 1.

Culture Destinations – World

Over 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 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 of number one Food Destination in the U.S. for a second year, ranking No. 8 worldwide. Overall, Southern destinations rank highly among foodies on Tripadvisor, with six of the top 10 cities in the American South.

Food Destinations – World	Food Destinations – U.S.
1. Hanoi, Vietnam	1. New Orleans, Louisiana
2. Rome, Italy	2. Charleston, South Carolina
3. Crete, Greece	3. Maui, Hawaii
4. Cusco, Peru	4. New York City, New York
5. Florence, Italy	5. Savannah, Georgia
6. New Delhi, India	6. Nashville, Tennessee
7. Barcelona, Spain	7. Miami Beach, Florida
8. New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.	8. Boston, Massachusetts
9. Lisbon, Portugal	9. Asheville, North Carolina
10. Phuket, Thailand	10. San Diego, California

*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 search through 300,000 English language Tripadvisor reviews, with a four bubble rating or higher, over 12 months (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:

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.

Site behavioral data sourced from first-party traffic data on the Tripadvisor platform for searches made by U.S., U.K., and Japan travelers between August 1 – September 30, 2023, and travel between December 1, 2023 – February 29, 2024.

SOURCE Tripadvisor