Gold Coast makes booking.com 2023 list of most welcoming tourist destinations on Earth
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Surprising city that is the only Australian place to be in the top 10 most welcoming tourist destinations in the world according to Booking.com
- Polignano a Mare in Italy Ranked Best on Earth
- Australia’s Gold Coast came in 10th place
An online booking site has revealed the world’s 10 friendliest holiday destinations, with only one Australian city making the cut.
Online travel agency Booking.com released its 2023 World’s Friendliest Cities list on January 24 for keen travelers looking for a friendly getaway.
The list, which is published annually, compiled more than 232 million customer reviews of local hotels, car rental companies and airport taxi providers.
The Gold Coast was ranked 10th on Booking.com’s list of the world’s friendliest cities for 2023 and is the only Australian city on the list.
The online travel agency called the Gold Coast “the best playground” for travelers of all ages (Pictured: Warner Bros Movie World on the Gold Coast)
Ranking tenth is the Gold Coast for its sun, surf, sand and theme parks, making it the “ultimate playground for all travelers of any age.”
Booking.com marketing director Arjan Dijk said cities were considered “welcoming” based on the hospitality and effort they showed towards travellers.
“It’s that personal attention to detail when checking in or sharing helpful tips for exploring the destination like a local that shows how our partners show up and shine for travelers,” said Mr. Dijk.
‘These awards are our way of saying thank you for your dedication to making everyone feel welcome and striving to create incredible experiences for our customers.
“Whether it’s a friendly hello from a taxi driver at the airport, sharing some local driving tips at the car rental desk, or a thoughtful note waiting in the room, our passionate partners help make every trip more special.”
Polignano a Mare in Italy (pictured) was ranked the most welcoming in the world. It is the second year in a row that a city in Italy has taken first place
This year’s coziest places on Earth span all five continents. The city of Hualien in Taiwan (pictured) ranked second on the list
Closing out the top three places was San Sebastián, located in the north of Spain.
This year’s coziest places on Earth span five continents, with Polignano a Mare in Italy taking the top spot, while the city of Hualien in Taiwan and San Sebastian in Spain closed out the top three.
European cities feature on the list with Dresden in Germany, Klaipeda in Lithuania and York in the UK taking fourth, fifth and sixth place respectively.
Seventh and eighth place went to two South American cities: Ushuaia in Argentina and Porto De Galinhas in Brazil, while Mexico City overtook the Gold Coast for ninth place.
The online agency also ranked the ‘friendliest’ cities in Australia, with the coastal town of Port Campbell on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria topping the list.
Port Campbell scored a number 9 out of 10 ratings for lodging reviews.
The coastal town of Port Campbell along Great Ocean Rd in Victoria ranked first as Australia’s friendliest resort town for 2023 (The Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell, Victoria pictured)
Halls Gap in Victoria came in second for its spectacular views of hikes and waterfalls.
In third place was Port Lincoln in South Australia, which is known for its pristine beaches and great white shark cage diving.
Queensland was the most represented with three cities, Toowoomba, Montville and Maleny, ranking fourth, fifth and sixth on the list.
The remaining places went to two cities in Western Australia and one city in New South Wales and Tasmania.