Booking.com Traveler Review Awards: Croatia among the top 10 most awarded destinations

Booking.com announced today the winners of its award Traveler Review Awards which has been awarded for 12 years.

Based on more than 309 million verified user reviews and a testament to consistently providing excellent service and warmth, a record 1,48 million travel partners will receive Booking.com's Traveler Review Award for 2024. 1.484.294 accommodation facilities, 449 car rental companies and 129 taxi providers will receive the award. 

For the seventh consecutive year, Italy leads with the highest number of award winners (181.012), followed by Spain (125.611), France (124.361), Germany (86.910) and the United Kingdom (74.754), which jumped two places and is now in fifth place. Poland (10), Brazil (61.693), the United States of America (58.788), Croatia (53.971) and Portugal (32.910). 

Admittedly, it is difficult to be objective with such analyses, because they are based on the number of accommodations, which vary by several factors, from the size of the country to tourist attractiveness. So it is not surprising that the list contains the most partners from Spain or France, although of course this does not guarantee the number of quality accommodations and other partners. 

Apartments and cottages are the leaders in the accommodation segment

Passengers continue to rate it positively a second home experience, and apartments dominate as the most awarded type of accommodation (710.687) in 2024 as well, for the seventh year in a row. For the second year in a row, cottages (213.824) displaced hotels (179.357) from second place, and among the top five most awarded types of accommodation facilities are also private accommodation (84.715) and accommodation with breakfast (71.514). Over the years, villas have recorded the highest growth in the number of awards at 23%, followed by cottages (20%) and campsites (14%). Overall, there was a 10 percent increase in the number of awards given to vacation rentals and other unique properties that are alternatives to traditional hotel accommodations, showing that travelers continue to appreciate the wide variety of different types of accommodations and the unique warmth they offer.

With transport service providers, the journey starts with a smile

For the fifth year, Booking.com has recognized its service partners land transport for their consistent provision of excellent service and hospitality.

Renting a car makes it easy for guests to get around and explore lesser-known destinations, and taxis are often visitors' first contact with local people and culture. These first impressions often determine the experience of the rest of the trip. This year, 449 car rental partners from 26 countries will receive the Traveler Review Award. Spain (84) again tops the list with the most awarded car rental companies, followed by Italy (74), Portugal (47), Greece (42) and the USA (28). As a sign of gratitude for all the welcome and flawless pick-ups of passengers, the award will also be given to 129 partners who provide taxi transportation services, mostly from Italy (17) and Spain (12).

"Whether it's a tip on hidden local gems to explore from the car rental desk or a personalized welcome message from the apartment owner recommending the best places to grab a bite in the neighborhood, our partners make trips more memorable and enjoyable for our customers every day. The Traveler Review Awards are our way of thanking and publicly recognizing the superior service our partners offer to travelers and the critical role they play in our mission to make it easier for everyone to explore the world. We congratulate everyone who is receiving an award this year for their dedication and passion. We couldn't do what we do without you!", he said Arjan Dijk, Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing at Booking.com. 

The warmest places in the world

This year's World's Warmest Places lists feature a wide range of destinations from around the world, and are compiled based on the share of accommodation providers that have received the Traveler Review Award for 2024. From enchanting coastal towns to alpine retreats or rustic desert gems, all of these locations are sure to whet your wanderlust this year.

The warmest cities in the world in 2024:

1. Arraial d'Ajuda, Brazil
2. Ermoupoli, Greece
3. Viana do Castelo, Portugal
4. Daylesford, Australia
5. Grindelwald, Switzerland
6. Moab, United States of America
7. Uzès, France
8. Mazatlán, Mexico
9. Jaisalmer, India
10. Fujikawaguchiko, Hotel Japan

The warmest regions in the world in 2024:

1. Perthshire, United Kingdom
2. Penghu, Taiwan
3. Boyacá, Colombia
4. Trentino - Alto Adige, Italy
5. Los Lagos, Chile
6. Erongo, Namibia
7. Otago, New Zealand
8. Lapland, Finland
9. Asturias, Spain
10. Friesland, Netherlands

To receive the award, partners should have achieved an average rating of at least 8,0 (out of 10) and at least 3 reviews by November 30, 2023. Car rental providers should have achieved an average rating of at least 7,5 (out of 10) and at least 100 reviews by November 30, 2023. To receive the award, taxi service providers had to achieve an average rating of at least 4,6 (out of 5) and complete 2000 rides by November 30, 2023.

Only users who have actually stayed at the property, rented a car or used a taxi service can write a review about their experience on Booking.com. Because these reviews are never edited or changed, travelers can use them to learn about the experiences of real travelers at that accommodation or transportation provider on Booking.com. 

On the other hand, the destinations are sorted according to the total share of Traveler Review Award winners for 2024 in relation to the total number of establishments that met the conditions for the award in that city or region (accommodation establishments only). Destinations also had to have an above-average number of award winners to be included in this list (200 award winners or more for cities and regions) and were selected to cover different geographic areas equally.