London has just been named as the best-rated destination in the world for 2019 by TripAdvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice awards for Destinations.
England’s capital has been rated the best place to visit by TripAdvisor after finishing second last year.
London beat other popular world destinations, including Paris (second) and New York City (13th), to claim the prize.
Other European cities including Rome (third) and Barcelona (seventh) also ranked highly in TripAdvisor’s Global Traveler’s Choice awards.
The winners were determined using an algorithm on reviews and ratings across hotels, restaurants, and experiences over a 12-month period.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding has been listed as a key factor for boosting tourism over the last year, with plenty of the city’s royal-inspired tours and experiences seeing surges in bookings by up to 231 percent following the celebrations last May.
Despite London’s reputation for being a costly weekend away, there are actually plenty of cheap days out and attractions that families can enjoy, not to mention the wide range of free museums and galleries to be found.
For those after an overnight stay, it’s also easier than expected to find cheap hotels throughout the city.
Top 10 best destinations in the world
1 London, UK
2 Paris, France
3 Rome, Italy
4 Crete, Greece
5 Bali, Indonesia
6 Phuket, Thailand
7 Barcelona, Spain
8 Istanbul, Turkey
9 Marrakech, Morocco
10 Dubai, UAE
Hayley Coleman, the TripAdvisor spokesperson, commented: “The global fascination with Harry and Meghan clearly has a powerful effect as this is the first time since 2016 that London has topped the world rankings.
“With the couple’s new Royal baby due imminently, London may continue to reap the rewards of the Harry and Meghan effect into 2020.
“For anyone wishing to cross any of these popular destinations off their travel bucket list, we’d encourage you to plan your visit during off-peak seasons, when you can take advantage of great savings and fewer crowds.”
Laura Citron, CEO of Visit London, said: ‘We are delighted to see London top the list of TripAdvisor’s Global Traveler’s Choice awards.
‘London has an exciting history as a center for creativity and free thinking, from Shakespeare to the birth of punk and the catwalks of today.
‘This creative energy and cultural vibrancy can be felt in every aspect of London life: food, fashion, arts, exhibitions, shops, and nightlife.’
In Australia, the Gold Coast follows Sydney to take second place and Melbourne is third followed by Brisbane (4th) then Hobart (5th).
TripAdvisor advised those planning trips to one of the top destinations to do research on the best time to go.
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