It’s award season for Booking.com partners despite a challenging year for global tourism. Italy is the most awarded country at the Traveller Review Awards 2021.
After analyzing millions of reviews from their customers, Booking.com announced that it will award 1,147,344 Traveller Review Awards for 2021 to recognize partners in 220 countries and territories that have made travelers’ experiences memorable by offering a place to stay, a rental car, or an airport taxi. The number and origin of winners in this ninth edition of the award is a powerful testament to the dedication and resilience of Booking.com’s partners, who managed to provide incredible travel experiences worldwide during a year of countless challenges for the entire industry.
With so many incredible winners, including 15,180 in Italy, Booking.com reveals the key factors of a fantastic stay, the most welcoming places in Italy, and the incredible and diverse offerings presented by partners who can proudly show a 2021 Traveller Review Award. Countries with the highest number of winners for 2020 include, among others: Italy (151,801), Spain (81,341), France (77,687), Germany (63,829), Croatia (52,992), United Kingdom (48,649), and USA (43,572).
Summary
Key factors of a stay
Booking.com’s Traveller Review Awards 2021 reveal travelers’ preferences over the past year, showing that Italian customers valued staff, location, and setting most when reviewing awarded properties on Booking.com: these are the aspects with the highest scores among categories evaluated after the stay. These preferences align with global trends, confirming that staff was the highest-rated factor among winners of the 2021 Traveller Review Award, followed by cleanliness and location. Since consumers are increasingly attentive to health and hygiene, it’s no surprise that winners scored 17% higher in cleanliness than the average score of non-winners. This suggests cleanliness could be an element of differentiation for a more than perfect hospitality.
The most welcoming destinations of 2021
Based on the percentage of properties that received a Traveller Review Award 2021, Booking.com decided to reveal the most welcoming places on Earth, so travelers can experience the best in hospitality and friendliness when travel becomes safe again. The Taitung County (Taiwan), Tasmania (Australia), Prešov Region (Slovakia), Upper Austria, Nova Scotia (Canada), Iowa (United States), Chubut Province (Argentina), and Minas Gerais (Brazil) demonstrate that hospitality can indeed be found in every corner of the globe.
Italy
Booking.com also reveals the most welcoming locations in Italy based on customer reviews. These wonderful destinations touch every corner of the country, with a surge in mountain resorts and small to medium-sized cities offering cultural and natural activities on a broad scale. Leading the list with the highest percentage of eligible properties that have won an award is Colfosco, Trentino Alto Adige, followed within the same region by Sesto, Schenna, San Lorenzo di Sebato, Matera in Basilicata, Cremona in Lombardy, Nuoro in Sardinia, and Arraba in Veneto.
Properties are ranked based on the total percentage of Traveller Review Award 2021 winners relative to the total eligible properties in that destination (hotel accommodations only). Destinations also needed an average number of winners above the median (at least 50), and efforts were made to ensure geographic fairness.
Houses, apartments, and unique accommodations remain travelers’ favorites
While hotels remain the second most awarded accommodation type worldwide in 2021, for the fourth consecutive year, four of the top five most awarded property types globally are unique accommodations: apartments (484,243), hotels (175,748), holiday homes (123,145), guesthouses (94,003), and bed and breakfasts (78,903). The most awarded accommodation types in Italy for 2021 include apartments, bed and breakfasts, holiday homes, hotels, and guesthouses.
Bed and breakfasts, agritourism, country houses, inns, and guesthouses represent the most welcoming types of accommodation worldwide, demonstrating how memorable unique stay experiences can be for travelers across the globe. Accommodation categories are ranked based on the total percentage of Traveller Review Award 2021 winners relative to the total eligible properties in that segment.
Alternative accommodations accounted for 30% of all new bookings in Q3 2020, and Booking.com is proud to offer so many unique stay experiences that provide travelers with superior hospitality.
Transport providers kept travelers moving
Recent research by Booking.com shows that a small segment (7%) of Italians took a road trip in 2020 (slightly below the global average of 24%). Additionally, 38% of Italians traveled more domestically in 2020 compared to 2019, in line with the global percentage of 32%.
Research commissioned by Booking.com and conducted independently on a sample of 47,728 people across 28 markets (1,997 in the USA, 1,987 in Canada, 1,999 in Mexico, 2,003 in Colombia, 1,996 in Brazil, 2,002 in Argentina, 1,994 in Australia, 985 in New Zealand, 1,993 in Spain, 1,993 in Italy, 1,993 in France, 1,984 in the United Kingdom, 1,989 in Germany, 1,977 in the Netherlands, 983 in Denmark, 986 in Sweden, 998 in Croatia, 1,997 in Russia, 999 in Israel, 1,997 in India, 1,992 in China, 991 in Hong Kong, 1,991 in Thailand, 1,977 in Singapore, 998 in Taiwan, 953 in Vietnam, 1,990 in South Korea, and 1,987 in Japan). To participate in the survey, respondents needed to be at least 18 years old, have taken at least one trip in the last 12 months, and be involved in travel decision-making or have made such decisions in person. The survey was available online in November 2020.
Since road trips and domestic travel have become more common over the past year, Booking.com recognizes the enormous effort its transport partners have had to endure, including rising customer demand in some markets, the rapid implementation of stricter cleaning measures between rentals, providing masks and disinfectants, and minimizing contact with customers due to social distancing.
This year, 2,100 rental points available on Booking.com, offering car rentals in 160 countries worldwide, were awarded. The most awarded global car rental points include Christchurch Airport (New Zealand), Coolangatta Gold Coast Airport (Australia), Phuket Airport (Thailand), Queenstown Airport (New Zealand), Orlando International Airport (USA), Tenerife North Airport (Spain), Thessaloniki Airport (Greece), Santorini Airport (Greece), Paphos Airport (Greece), and Larnaca Airport (Cyprus). Airport taxis, available in over 800 destinations worldwide, are also recognized for their excellent service, with 2,830 drivers from 18 providers receiving a Traveller Review Award.
Information for the award
To receive an Award, the accommodation and car rental points had to have an average minimum score of 8 (out of 10), based on at least 3 and 5 reviews respectively, calculated at 23:59 (CET) on November 30, 2020. To receive an award, airport taxis had to have a minimum average score of 4.5 (out of 5) and have completed at least 2,000 trips by 23:59 (CET) on November 30, 2020. Only customers who have actually stayed at a property, rented a car, or used a taxi can leave a review on Booking.com. Reviews are never altered or edited in any way. Other users can use them as a genuine reference and testimony to know what it’s like to stay at a property or use a transport provider offered by Booking.com.
Pubblicato in Hospitality
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