Tripadvisor, the travel information website and source of all knowledge for modern-day tourists, published today their 2008 Travellers' Choice Destinations Awards, which include a Top 100 list of destinations from around the world, and Top 25 lists for the US, Europe, Asia, South Pacific, Latin America/Carribbean, South America, Africa and Canada.
According to them, the 25 best destinations in the whole world are:
1. Milford Sound - New Zealand
2. Queenstown - New Zealand
3. Philipsburg - St Maarten
4. Cayo Largo - Cuba
5. Rhodes - Greece
6. Charlotte Amalie - St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
7. Cruz Bay - St John, US Virgin Islands
8. Bridgetown - Barbados
9. Banff - Alberta, Canada
10. Lake Tahoe - California, US
11. Salzburg - Austria (finally, a destination I've been to!)
12. Cape Town - South Africa
13. Amalfi - Italy
14. Bath - England
15. Siena - Italy
16. Victoria - British Columbia, Canada
17. Hamilton - Bermuda
18. Dingle - Ireland
19. Lake Louise - Alberta, Canada
20. Bruges - Belgium
21. Marigot - St Martin
22. Sydney - Australia
23. Cairns - Australia
24. Kyoto - Japan
25. Lucerne - Switzerland
Other popular european destinations are listed further down, such as Edinburgh at no. 27, Paris at no. 57, Prague at no. 62, Amsterdam at no. 80, London at no. 84, Copenhagen at no. 86 and Barcelona at no. 90.
Now, I don't know how the results were compiled, but it seems to me that the sample was largely American/Canadian, as I've not even heard of most of these places, let alone been to them. Of the places I know, I'm baffled by Salzburg's popularity - I wouldn't in a million years consider it more interesting than Paris, Bath, Edinburgh, London, Barcelona, Brugge or any number of other destinations. I guess there's no accounting for taste, eh?
I'm also ashamed to admit that I've not been to the one and only Greek destination to make the Top 100 Worldwide and Top 25 Europe lists - the island of Rhodes! We were supposed to go there on our honeymoon a few years back but had to change our plans at the last minute due to a travel agent mix up. I never thought it was such a big deal, but now I'm wondering if it's perhaps time to reconsider our summer travel options ;-)
15 comments:
Very interesting post Tinsie, based on the list I've been to
1) Salzburg - Austria
2) Bath -England
3) Siena - Italy
4) Sydney - Australia
5) Kyoto - Japan
6) Lucerne - Switzerland.
Don't think I can catch up 25 ;(
:D
Well, I've only been to 4 out of 25, so you're ahead of me!
What a great list--and an inspiration! Like you, I've been to Salzburg and Lucerne, and to Brussels but not Brugges, so now I have a few more places I'd LOVE to go. As I read through the list, I kept going,"Oh yeh! Gotta go there someday!"
Been to most of the countries, but not all the cities. Coming from Norway, the most exotic was to Asia and Australia.
wow! i Have yet been to any of these places!
nice list!
@ Lesley: So many places, so little time ;-)
@ Rennyba: I'm sure the same would apply to me too - if I ever made it outside Europe!
@ Palmtreefanatic: Check out the full list (linked in the post) for even more ideas!
There's a lot to see and most of us aren't born rich and famous so traveling is sort of limited. Also, I avoid air travel for all sorts of reasons. So - in a nutshell - I have missed 24 out of these 25. Been to Lucerne for a lovely sunny day in April 2001. Also traveled through the Amalfi several times but that doesn't really count does it?
I'm not so sure I agree with that list... But I've only been to ONE of those places - Kyoto, Japan. I better get traveling!
Oh dear, I've only been to one - BATH!? and that's in the country I live in so I haven't done to well on this survey :(
@ Per Stromsjo, Daniel & Anonymous: You're in good company - doesn't look like many people have been to even half these destinations, let alone all of them! Maybe that's why they had to include them to the Top 100, to entice people to visit them ;-)
Or perhaps they really are extra-special and we've been missing out all along!
Ok, I finally found the time to look at this--I've been to 16 out of 100. Looks like it's time to hit the road!
Hey Karen, 16 out of 100 isn't bad - you've done better than most of us!
Yes, but I want to see EVERYTHING!!
:-)
Is this a Canadian article? There seem to be an inordinate number of Canadian sites.
Well, I've been to a few here
-Banff
-Lake Louise (which is very near Banff, which makes me wonder about the Candian bias...)
-Victoria
-Bath
-Lake Tahoe (ranked in the top ten? Get out of here!)
-Bruges
They are all nice places, but the list seems highly suspect to me; Edinburgh above Paris? I don't think so!
Betty - my thoughts exactly!!
Post a Comment