TripAdvisor unveils the world’s best rated destinations in annual Travellers’ Choice Awards

LONDON, UK. – Marrakech has been named the best rated destination in the world for the first time in the seventh annual Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations, announced by TripAdvisor.
 

The TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations reveal the best rated destinations in the World, Europe and UK each year, based on the millions of reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers.
 

This year’s awards have revealed several destinations in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe that are outperforming more traditional holiday destinations in North America and Europe.
 

Marrakech claimed the number one spot for the first time, while Siem Reap in Cambodia jumped seven places up to second in the rankings. Istanbul, Hanoi and Prague completed the World top five list.

 

By contrast, Rome, named runner up in the awards last year, dropped five places to seventh, while New York, the best rated US destination, failed to make the world top ten for the second year running.
 

London slipped down from third to sixth place on the World list, although the UK capital does have the honour of being one of only three destinations to have retained a top ten ranking in the awards five years in a row.
 

Of the top ten best rated World destinations, Hanoi offers the cheapest hotel value with average summer room rates on TripAdvisor at less than £30 a night – one sixth of the price of an average room over the same period in London (£162.25).
 

“The competition among global tourist destinations has never been tougher. A combination of low average booking rates and fantastic traveller reviews on TripAdvisor has helped Asian, African and Eastern European destinations steal a march on old favourites like New York and Rome,” commented TripAdvisor spokesperson, James Kay. “In the UK, the competition is just as fierce, with great value destinations like Llandudno and Blackpool more than holding their own against larger city rivals.”
 

Steve Jackson, the UK’s Top Contributor of photos to TripAdvisor in 2014 said, “Marrakech is one of those cities that should be on everyone’s bucket list. It’s a fantastic city to explore, rich in history and culture, and between the sea of street activity, bright colours and striking sunsets, it is a truly intoxicating experience.”
 

The awards also revealed the UK’s best rated destinations. It was a great year for smaller UK destinations with Llandudno, Torquay, Blackpool and Keswick all named in the top ten.
 

Llandudno and Torquay placed in the UK’s top five taking third and fourth place respectively, beating Liverpool, Belfast and York. Keswick, a market town in the Lake District is a newcomer to the top ten this year and ranks in ninth place, beating Glasgow.
 

The awards also reveal a growing north-south divide, with eight of the ten best rated UK destinations located to the north of the Midlands.
 

Among the top ten UK destinations, Blackpool offers the cheapest hotel rooms with £76.21 the average summer rate available on TripAdvisor – less than half the price of a comparable hotel room in London.
 

2015 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Destinations winners and average room rates for summer 2015*
 

*Average nightly hotel rates for summer 2015 are based on TripAdvisor data for June 1 through August 31, 2015, aggregated from booking partners, including online travel agencies and direct hotel suppliers.

 

Photo caption: Jemaa el Fna Square, Marrakesh.