Despite the challenges the past two years have wrought upon the travel industry, the love for travel has never waned and travel optimism and hope for recovery now remain high.

Hoi An is also famous for its friendly people. Photo: Nguoi Hoi An

Drawing upon more than 232 million verified reviews from real travelers, leading digital travel platform Booking.com announces the recipients of its tenth annual Traveller Review Awards and the 2022 Most Welcoming Places on Earth.

A total of 1,261,273 accommodation providers in 220 countries and territories around the world are being recognized with the Traveller Review Award 2022, including 8,405 accommodations from Vietnam. In terms of places to stay, Vietnam ranks 18th on the global list with a total of 8,405 recognized hotel establishments.

Hoi An made its way to the world’s “10 Most Welcoming Cities on Earth in 2022”, alongside cities such as Matera in Italy and Bled in Slovenia.

The ancient town captured the hearts of travelers worldwide with its charming of an iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site, authentic village life, nearby sandy beaches, and the Chinese and French influences blending together seamlessly into a diverse local food scene.

In addition, a total of 3,381 hotels were recognized for their efforts, making them the most awarded property type in Vietnam. Homestays take the second spot followed by apartments, guest houses, and villas.

When diving into the individual aspects of their stays that guests valued most at the 1,259,594 award-winning properties around the world, staff (9.0), cleanliness (8.9) and location (8.9) received the highest average marks globally.

In Vietnam, staff earns the highest score (8.9), followed by comfort (8.8). Cleanliness, location and value of money shared the same score at 8.7.

A street corner in Hoi An Ancient Town. Photo: Nguoi Hoi An

According to Anthony Lu, Regional Director, China and Mekong at Booking.com, the travel industry has continued to remain vigilant and flexible in light of the uncertainty and travel restrictions. Hospitality businesses globally are praiseworthy for their passion and dedication to creating safe and welcoming travel experiences for travelers.

“With Booking.com’s Traveller Review Awards 2022, we recognize the incredible hospitality our partners deliver to travelers each and every day and thank them for their amazing devotion as we continue to rebuild together,” he stated.

To be recognized with an award, accommodations had to have an average review score of 8.0 (out of 10) or higher as of 11:59pm (CET) on November 30, 2021.

Only customers that have actually stayed at an accommodation can leave a review of their experience on Booking.com. As these reviews are never edited or modified in any way, travelers can reference them for an authentic account of what the real traveler experience at the accommodation.