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London Takes The Top Spot – Plus, U.S. Favorite Places for Food, Culture, Solo Travel and More
NEEDHAM, Mass., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Tripadvisor®, the world’s largest travel guidance platform, today announced its first Travelers’ Choice® Awards category for 2025: Best of the Best Destinations.
Each year, Tripadvisor pores over millions of reviews shared by a global community of travelers to uncover the most trusted recommendations, helping future explorers create unforgettable memories on their next adventure. Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Destinations span seven categories; Top Destinations, Trending Destinations, Culture Destinations, Food Destinations, Honeymoon Destinations. This year Tripadvisor introduces two new subcategories; Solo Travel Destinations and a special sub-category in celebration of Tripadvisor’s 25th anniversary honoring the Top Destinations of the Last 25 Years based on all time reviews.
The Travelers’ Choice Awards celebrate destinations with the highest ratings and reviews from global travelers over the past year. The rankings shine a light on the places that have captured the hearts of real travelers who’ve experienced them firsthand.
“Over the last 25 years Tripadvisor has grown to become the world’s leading travel guidance platform, drawing on insights from real travelers all around the world,” commented Kristen Dalton, President, Tripadvisor. “Based on the more than 1 billion reviews and opinions on our site today, Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards reflect the global travel community’s favorites – from destinations themselves, to everything that makes them special including restaurants, hotels and experiences.”
London Takes the Crown Globally, While NYC Rules the U.S.
This year London climbed two places to be named No. 1 Top Destination in the World, taking the title from Dubai, which had proudly held onto first place since 2022. The UK capital is also recognized for its culinary scene as well as rich arts and heritage offering, coming second in the world in the best Food Destinations and third in Culture Destinations. The city was also named No. 1 in Tripadvisor’s special 25th anniversary list, with London recognized as the top destination from the last 25 years of reviews on the site.
Here in the U.S., New York City tops this list, and is also featured in the states’ top Food Destinations. Other fan favorite destinations include warm weather hotspots like O’ahu and the Florida Keys, hustling cities like Chicago and Las Vegas, and culturally rich locations like New Orleans and Washington D.C.
| Top Destinations – World | Top Destinations – U.S. |
| 1. London, U.K. | 1. New York City, NY |
| 2. Bali, Indonesia | 2. O’ahu, HI |
| 3. Dubai, U.A.E. | 3. Las Vegas, NV |
| 4. Sicily, Italy | 4. Florida Keys, FL |
| 5. Paris, France | 5. New Orleans, LA |
| 6. Rome, Italy | 6. Nashville, TN |
| 7. Hanoi, Vietnam | 7. San Francisco, CA |
| 8. Marrakech, Morocco | 8. Chicago, IL |
| 9. Crete, Greece | 9. Charleston, SC |
| 10. Bangkok, Thailand | 10. Washington, D.C. |
Trending for 2025
Osaka, Japan, is named No. 1 Trending Destination in the World for 2025, based on year-on-year growth of reviews. Known as ‘the nation’s kitchen’, Osaka has a thriving food scene, as well as great shopping and nightlife. It is also the perfect base for exploring the Kansai region, which is home to multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia comes in at No. 2, followed by Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires at No. 3.
The Trending Destinations in the U.S. included a mix of sun and snow, from coastal getaways like West Palm Beach and Santa Barbara, to the mountain views of Denver and Park City. The Midwest is having a moment, with Cleveland and Kansas City nearing the top of the list, while destinations adjacent to big cities, like Memphis and Brooklyn, are also rising the ranks.
| Trending Destinations – World | Trending Destinations – U.S. |
| 1. Osaka, Japan | 1. West Palm Beach, FL |
| 2. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 2. Santa Barbara, CA |
| 3. Buenos Aires, Argentina | 3. Cleveland, OH |
| 4. Manama, Bahrain | 4. Kansas City, MO |
| 5. Lima, Peru | 5. Memphis, TN |
| 6. Medellin, Colombia | 6. Park City, UT |
| 7. Auckland, New Zealand | 7. Juneau, AK |
| 8. Kyoto, Japan | 8. Denver, CO |
| 9. Seoul, South Korea | 9. Brooklyn, NY |
| 10. Casablanca, Morocco | 10. Hilton Head, SC |
New for 2025
As Tripadvisor celebrates a quarter of a century this year, the 25th Anniversary Destinations list pays homage to reviewers’ favorite destinations since the launch of the site. London also tops this category, followed by New York at No. 2 and Rome at No. 3.
| 25th Anniversary Destinations |
| 1. London, U.K. |
| 2. New York City, U.S. |
| 3. Rome, Italy |
| 4. Paris, France |
| 5. Bali, Indonesia |
| 6. Barcelona, Spain |
| 7. Dubai , U.A.E. |
| 8. Crete, Greece |
| 9. Lisbon, Portugal |
| 10. Bangkok, Thailand |
This year also sees the launch of another new category, Solo Travel Destinations. This list features many major global cities, with South Korean capital, Seoul taking the top spot. These destinations are loved by solo travelers and perfect for anyone heading out on an adventure alone.
| Solo Travel Destinations – World |
| 1. Seoul, South Korea |
| 2. Kathmandu, Nepal |
| 3. Cusco, Peru |
| 4. Bangkok, Thailand |
| 5. Osaka, Japan |
| 6. Dubai, U.A.E. |
| 7. Kyoto, Japan |
| 8. Chiang Mai, Thailand |
| 9. Reykjavik, Iceland |
| 10. Melbourne, Australia |
Best of the Rest
With travelers across the world most excited about food on their upcoming trips, according to Tripadvisor’s latest Seasonal Travel Index, best Food Destinations is the ultimate guide to where to find the best culinary experiences.
| Food Destinations – World | Food Destinations – U.S. |
| 1. Rome, Italy | 1. New Orleans, LA |
| 2. London, U.K. | 2. Charleston, SC |
| 3. Marrakech, Morocco | 3. New York City, NY |
| 4. Paris, France | 4. Savannah, GA |
| 5. Naples, Italy | 5. Asheville, NC |
| 6. Barcelona, Spain | 6. Boston, MA |
| 7. Lima, Peru | 7. Nashville, TN |
| 8. New Orleans, U.S. | 8. Portland, ME |
| 9. Buenos Aires, Argentina | 9. San Diego, CA |
| 10. Athens, Greece | 10. San Francisco, CA |
The best Culture Destinations celebrate the destinations bursting with vibrant arts scenes and rich in heritage that are inspiring travelers across the world. Rich in culture and traditions, Bali takes the No. 1 spot, followed by Hanoi, Vietnam at No. 2 and London at No. 3.
| Culture Destinations – World |
| 1. Bali, Indonesia |
| 2. Hanoi, Vietnam |
| 3. London, U.K. |
| 4. Marrakech, Morocco |
| 5. Rome, Italy |
| 6. Cusco, Peru |
| 7. Kathmandu, Nepal |
| 8. New Delhi, India |
| 9. Crete, Greece |
| 10. Siem Reap, Cambodia |
For couples looking to celebrate one of their most special trips, best Honeymoon Destinations showcases the most romantic places on earth, from private beaches to intimate dinners, these are travelers’ favorites to set the mood for two.
| Honeymoon Destinations – World |
| 1. Mauritius |
| 2. Bali, Indonesia |
| 3. Maldives |
| 4. Hoi An, Vietnam |
| 5. Phuket, Thailand |
| 6. Santorini, Greece |
| 7. Zanzibar Island, Tanzania |
| 8. Florence, Italy |
| 9. La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica |
| 10. St. Lucia |
Methodologies
Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Destinations
The 2025 Travelers’ Choice 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, 2023 through September 30, 2024.
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 4,850 consumers, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted between September 6 – October 3, 2024 across six countries, including Australia, France, Japan, Singapore, U.K. & U.S.
- 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 – October 20, 2024 for travel between November 1, 2024 – January 31, 2025.
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 Tripadvisor’s website 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 a 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.
* Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, Jan 2025
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files
SOURCE Tripadvisor
