Booking.com has announced the recipients of its 11th annual Traveller Review Awards for 2023, with New Zealand’s stunning Marlborough region securing a spot in the top 10 ‘Most Welcoming Regions on Earth’—the only destination in the Southern Hemisphere to make the cut.
This year’s Traveller Review Awards are based on a pool of over 240 million verified customer reviews on Booking.com with 1.36 million accommodation partners, 230 car rental providers and 58 airport taxi suppliers receiving an award in 2023, including 7,307 of these from New Zealand. Whilst Marlborough makes the top 10 list of welcoming regions on earth, there are many other corners of the globe also receiving awards for their warm welcomes.
Traveller Review Awards 2023
The most welcoming region on earth this year is La Rioja in Spain, shortly followed by Epirus, Greece and Oberosterreich in Austria. New Zealand’s very own Marlborough sits comfortably at number six, ahead of Ninh Binh in Vietnam and Limon in Costa Rica.
Most Welcoming Regions on Earth
La Rioja, Spain; Epirus, Greece; Oberosterreich, Austria; County Down, UK; Mures, Romania; Marlborough, New Zealand; Ninh Binh, Vietnam; Limon, Costa Rica; Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada amd North Dakota, US all made the top ten.
2023 Most Welcoming Towns in New Zealand
Booking.com has also revealed the ‘Most Welcoming Towns’ in the country based on the share of properties in each location receiving a Traveller Review Award in 2023. The awarded spots are spread across the country so, no matter where Kiwis are planning their next holiday, they’re sure to receive a warm welcome. Lake Tekapo; Invercargill; Hokitika; Twizel; Havelock North; Picton; Martinborough; Kerikeri; Oamaru and Cambridge all made the top ten.
Nuno Guerreiro, Regional Director Partner Services APAC, said New Zealand’s achievements in this year’s awards highlight our country’s welcoming nature as borders opened and travel returned last year. “It’s that personal attention to detail when checking in or sharing helpful recommendations to explore the destination like a local that demonstrates how our partners show up and shine for travellers in a multitude of ways each and every day,” Guerreiro said in a press release.
“These awards are our way of thanking them for their dedication to making everyone feel welcome and for going out of their way to create incredible experiences for our customers. Whether it’s a friendly greeting from a taxi driver at the airport, sharing some local driving tips at the car rental counter, or a thoughtful note waiting in the room, our passionate partners help make every trip more special. And, of course, a huge toast to Marlborough being highlighted as one of the most welcoming regions in the world, an outstanding achievement for our tourism industry,” says Guerreiro.
A More Sustainable Traveller Experience
Nearly one in ten accommodation award recipients globally (122,095) have also been recognized with a Travel Sustainable badge for their efforts to operate more sustainably. In fact, Travel Sustainable accommodations were three times more likely to receive a Traveller Review Award 2023 compared to those not being recognized with a Travel Sustainable badge. Out of all accommodation types, hotels had the highest share of Travel Sustainable accommodations (15%) receiving a Traveller Review Award 2023.
Apartments and homes continue to shine as the most-awarded property type globally; apartments take the top spot for the sixth year in a row, with a grand total of 629,421 partners being recognized for their efforts in the 2023 edition of the Traveller Review Awards. For the very first time in the history of the awards, holiday homes (177,795) have claimed the second spot from hotels (172,036), with guest houses (91,635) and bed and breakfasts (78,247) rounding out the top five. In New Zealand, holiday homes took the number one spot closely followed by apartments, while bed and breakfasts came in third.
This article was published in association with booking.com.
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