Global tourism giant TripAdvisor published its annual list of recommended vacation destinations for 2024 Israel is absent from them. Dubai maintains its position on top, having been selected as the leading tourist destination by TripAdvisor users for the second consecutive year.
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Indonesia’s Bali came in second, and London, The UK’s capital, secured the third spot. Completing the top five most popular tourist spots are Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, and Rome, the capital of Italy.
TripAdvisor's weighted scoring, known as the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards, is based on a combination of the quantity and quality of user ratings from locations all over the world in the past year. The list is divided into several categories, including Top Destinations, Trending Destinations, Nature Destinations, Cultural Destinations, Food Destinations, Honeymoon Destinations, and Sustainable Destinations.
Israel, embroiled in a challenging war since October 7, isn’t mentioned in any of the categories. In the 2023 list published exactly one year ago, Jerusalem appeared in second place, earning an esteemed spot in the Culture category.
The top three trending destinations for the coming year voted by TripAdvisor users are Tokyo, Seoul, and Ha Long Bay (Vietnam). Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, has been chosen as the most recommended nature destination, surpassing Ha Long Bay and the Egyptian city of Hurghada. Wadi Rum in southern Jordan reached the 12th place.
Heading the list of cultural destinations, which notably doesn’t include Jerusalem for 2024, are Cusco (Peru), Agra (India), Fez (Morocco), and Athens. Amman, Jordan’s capital, achieved an honorable 19th place on the list.
The most recommended honeymoon destination for the coming year is Bali. Hoi An (Vietnam) secured the second spot on the list, and the Maldives – a destination that Israel’s National Security Council and Foreign Ministry have advised against traveling to since the outbreak of the war – came in third.
The leading sustainable destinations for 2024 are Copenhagen, Denmark, followed by Stockholm, Sweden, and Bordeaux. The top food destinations are Hanoi, Rome, Cartagena, Cusco, and Florence.