Travel guidance platform Tripadvisor has announced the winners of its 2023 Travellers’ Choice awards. In a press statement, Tripadvisor says that the awards were compiled by analysing 12 review data that was recorded from May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023, surveying millions of travellers across the globe.
Tripadvisor says that among the top 10 experiences in the world, Grand Circle Island and Haleiwa Tour in Honolulu, Hawaii, takes the top spot with Thai Cooking Course at Chiang Mai in Thailand, holding the second place, while Ubud Tour in Ubud, Bali, acquired the third spot.
According to Tripadvisor’s most recent seasonal travel index, 28 pc of travellers are motivated by the opportunity to experience something new and 44 pc want to make memories with family and friends on vacation. With experiential travel taking centre stage, Tripadvisor’s ‘things to do’ is an essential guide for travellers looking to do something a bit different on their next trip, adds the statement.
“Experiences turn travellers into adventurers, connecting them with the local community and giving them unforgettable stories for years to come. With more than 300,000 bookable experiences in over 250,000 destinations worldwide, Tripadvisor helps people access the best things to do globally, and we’re committed to expanding that number of tours and attractions across every destination. These awards are a testament to the businesses dedicated to ensuring the Tripadvisor community enjoys the most memorable trips, and we are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their reviews and help fellow travellers plan their next escape,” says Kate Urquhart, General Manager, Experiences at Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor reviewers say that Oahu, Hawaii is the place that left the biggest impression on travellers. According to the statement, Grand Circle Island and Haleiwa Tour, Honolulu, Hawaii, retains the top spot in the best experiences in the US as well, whereas the Juneau wildlife whale watching in Juneau, Alaska and history and hauntings of Salem guided walking tour in Salem, USA take up the 2nd and 3rd spots respectively.
With half of global travellers prioritising visiting attractions on their upcoming trips this summer, according to Tripadvisor’s Summer Travel Index, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia holds on to the top spot for a second year running as the top attraction in the world, followed by Rome’s Colosseum, which also took second place in 2022. Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and the Dubai Fountain in the UAE are new additions to the world list for 2023, taking third and fourth place respectively.
The statement says that in the US, the Empire State Building held onto its top spot in the best US attractions and New York overall came out top with Central Park placing second, the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum fourth and the Brooklyn Bridge sixth, says the statement.
Tripadvisor adds that the number 1 in the world for amusement parks and water park experiences is dominated by Siam Park in Tenerife, Spain while in the first spot is the US Silver Dollar City, Brandon, Missouri for US rankings. Red Dunes ATV, Sandsurf, camels, stargazing & barbeque in Dubai, UAE, come under the most coveted bucket list experiences, according to the Tripadvisor statement.
The statement adds that holding the first spot in the world is Reykjavik food walk in Iceland, Reykjavik, for culinary experiences. The US Little Havana Food and Walking Tour in Miami, Florida, comes under the first rank in food & culinary experiences in the US.