London has been named the best rated destination in the world in the eighth annual Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations, announced by TripAdvisor, the travel planning and booking site.
The TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations reveal the world’s best rated destinations each year, based on millions of reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers. Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions in destinations worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period, as well as traveller booking interest on TripAdvisor.
This win for London comes at a time when the city and the rest of the UK is poised for celebrations as the Queen marks her 90th birthday in April and throughout the summer.
This year, London jumped five places up from its sixth place finish in 2015 to be crowned the world’s number one destination – ahead of global rivals such as Marrakech, Rome and New York.
“This is the first time since 2012 that London has topped our world award rankings, proving that the capital’s tourism industry is still reaping the benefits of the Games’ legacy,” commented James Kay, TripAdvisor spokesperson.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said, “London is undoubtedly the cultural capital of the world thanks to our iconic attractions, buzzing entertainment scene and amazing museums and galleries. Coupled with our abundance of top-notch hotels and restaurants offering every type of cuisine one’s taste buds could desire, it is no wonder that London has been named the best travel destination in the world. It is an incredibly dynamic city, with something for everyone and we look forward to welcoming even more visitors to our wonderful metropolis.”
Chris Gottlieb, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at London & Partners, the Mayor’s official promotional organisation for London said, “We are delighted that the capital has once again been hailed as the world’s best rated destination by TripAdvisor travellers across the globe.
“London boasts an unrivalled mix of history, cutting edge contemporary culture and a rich calendar of special happenings to entice international visitors and encourage online reviews – and our latest tourism campaign, Fans of London, will shine a spotlight on some very exciting events to come, including the celebrations around the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s legacy, and the first international exhibition of the Rolling Stones, EXHIBITIONISM.”
UK category: North trumps South
When it comes to the UK winners, Despite London taking the top spot, this year the north comes up trumps overall as seven out of ten destinations are located north of the midlands.
Edinburgh, Liverpool, Llandudno and Blackpool take second, third, fourth and fifth place respectively, York comes in at seventh and Glasgow and Manchester rank ninth and tenth respectively.
Among the top ten UK destinations, Blackpool offers the cheapest hotel rooms with the average bookable hotel rate on TripAdvisor for 2016 at £66 – less than half the price of a comparable hotel room in London.
Visiting the world’s best rated destination
For those looking to visit the capital and world’s #1 destination this year, whether it’s a bargain break or luxury trip, London has a highly rated hotel to suit.
For those splashing out, the Egerton House Hotel, which was named 15th best rated hotel in the world in the Travellers’ Choice Awards for Hotels, is bookable on TripAdvisor for an average of £353 per night. While a more affordable option but also highly rated but is the Premier Inn London Bank (Tower) Hotel. Named best rated family hotel in the UK in the Travellers’ Choice Awards for Family Hotels this month, travellers can hotel book a room on TripAdvisor for an average of just £139.
When it comes to things to do, Travellers’ wanting to get a look at London’s main sights with the added benefit of a guided tour in an exclusive, small group, can book the full-day London Sightseeing Tour on TripAdvisor at £60 per person.
