Travelers’ Choice Awards: The most popular and trending destinations for 2022

After almost two years of little travel, it seems that travelers are once again packing their bags to get out and explore. Despite the worldwide increase in Covid-19 cases caused by the Omicron strain, the desire to travel is predicted to remain strong this year.

According to a recent Tripadvisor poll, 71% of Americans believe they would travel for leisure in 2022. "As the world returns to travel, people's priorities are shifting, and they seek more unique experiences on their vacations." "When thinking about their future travel plans, three-quarters (75%) of Americans feel it's vital to'see new locations,'" said Steven Paganelli, Director, Destinations, Hotels, and OTAs, Americas at Tripadvisor.

The trip planning website also revealed the highly anticipated 'Travelers' Choice Awards for 2022: the Best of the Best Destinations.'

"There's a big world out there to see, and we want to help visitors find the finest excursions for them — whatever that ideal vacation may be." The 2022 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Awards for Destinations contain various subcategories developed to showcase the greatest locations to travel no matter what style of vacation you're looking for," Paganelli stated.

While Dubai topped the list of popular places, London and Cancun came in second and third place, respectively. Majorca, Balearic Island, was #1 on the list of trending destinations, followed by Cairo, Egypt, and Rhodes, Dodecanese. Here is a list of the top ten popular and trending places.

Most popular destinations

1. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2. London, United Kingdom
3. Cancún, Mexico
4. Bali, Indonesia
5. Crete, Greece
6. Rome, Italy
7. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
8. Istanbul, Turkey
9. Paris, France
10. Hurghada, Egypt

Most trending destinations

1. Majorca, Balearic Islands
2. Cairo, Egypt
3. Rhodes, Dodecanese
4. Tulum, Mexico
5. Dubrovnik, Croatia
6. Ibiza, Balearic Islands
7. Natal, Brazil
8. Arusha, Tanzania
9. Goreme, Turkey
10. Santorini, Cyclades

Other categories
Along with its broader categories, Tripadvisor also features favorites in specialty categories. Tops in those are:
Food lovers: Rome, Italy
Outdoor enthusiasts: Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
Skiers: Zermatt, Switzerland
City lovers: Dubai
Sun seekers: Cancún

How the locations are chosen
According to Tripadvisor, the selections honor the locations that are the most popular among their reviewers. The methodology took into account quality and volume of reviews over the period from November 1, 2020, to October 31, 2021, "to select destinations that consistently deliver the best overall experience for travelers," it said.

Source: Tripadvisor.