Where Travelers Are Headed in 2026, According to Tripadvisor
Bali leads the 2026 Travelers’ Choice rankings as Tripadvisor names its top 25 destinations worldwide.
Photo: Niklas Weiss / Unsplash
Tripadvisor has released its 2026 Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best” Destinations list, highlighting the places that earned the highest volume of top-tier traveler reviews worldwide over the past year. Out of roughly 8 million listings on the platform, fewer than one percent make the cut, making this ranking one of the tighter filters in consumer travel recognition.
This year’s top spot goes to Bali, followed by a global mix that includes London, Dubai, Hanoi, Paris, Rome, Marrakech, Bangkok, Crete, and New York City. The broader list spans 25 destinations, from long-established hubs like Tokyo, Barcelona, and Istanbul to experience-driven markets such as Cusco, Siem Reap, and Kathmandu.
Many of the destinations are places where infrastructure, airlift, hotel depth, and private-experience availability support complex itineraries, often with ease. The ranking also serves as a sign of where traveler demand continues to concentrate, even as new regions and secondary cities compete for attention.
Southeast Asia appears prominently on the list, with Bali, Bangkok, Hanoi, Siem Reap, and Tokyo all featured. Europe, of course, remains a mainstay, anchored by Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Lisbon, Edinburgh, and Budapest. The Middle East is represented by Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while Latin America is represented by Cusco and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Africa shows up with Marrakech and Egypt’s Hurghada, reflecting the steady appetite for sun-and-sea extensions alongside safari and heritage travel.
In the U.S., New York City once again ranks among the top 10, reinforcing its status as a default gateway destination for international travelers and a perennial favorite among repeat visitors. Its presence is less surprising than instructive: despite shifting travel patterns and rising costs, cities with intensive cultural offerings and access continue to hold their ground.
Tripadvisor’s methodology centers on traveler reviews collected over a 12-month period, ranking destinations that receive consistently high marks for experience, service, and overall satisfaction. The “Best of the Best” designation sits at the top of the platform’s awards structure and is reserved for locations that maintain strong sentiment at scale.
The full 2026 Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best” Destinations list is now live on Tripadvisor, with rankings covering the world’s top 25 cities and regions.
