Marrakech has today been named the best rated destination in the world for the first time in the seventh annual Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations, announced by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site*.

The TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations reveal the best rated destinations in the World, Europe and UK each year, based on the millions of reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers.

This year’s awards have revealed several destinations in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe that are outperforming more traditional holiday destinations in North America and Europe.

Marrakech claimed the number one spot for the first time, while Siem Reap in Cambodia jumped seven places up to second in the rankings. Istanbul, Hanoi and Prague completed the World top five list.

By contrast, Rome, named runner up in the awards last year, dropped five places to seventh, while New York, the best rated US destination, failed to make the world top ten for the second year running.

London slipped down from third to sixth place on the World list, although the UK capital does have the honour of being one of only three destinations to have retained a top ten ranking in the awards five years in a row.

Of the top ten best rated World destinations, Hanoi offers the cheapest hotel value with average summer room rates on TripAdvisor at less than £30 a night – one sixth of the price of an average room over the same period in London (£162.25).

“The competition among global tourist destinations has never been tougher. A combination of low average booking rates and fantastic traveller reviews on TripAdvisor has helped Asian, African and Eastern European destinationssteal a march on old favourites like New York and Rome,” commented TripAdvisor spokesperson, James Kay. “In the UK, the competition is just as fierce, with great value destinations like Llandudno and Blackpool more than holding their own against larger city rivals.”

Steve Jackson, the UK’s Top Contributor of photos to TripAdvisor in 2014 said, “Marrakech is one of those cities that should be on everyone’s bucket list. It’s a fantastic city to explore, rich in history and culture, and between the sea of street activity, bright colours and striking sunsets, it is a truly intoxicating experience.”

North trumps south in UK destinations list

The awards also revealed the UK’s best rated destinations. It was a great year for smaller UK destinations with Llandudno, Torquay, Blackpool and Keswick all named in the top ten.

Llandudno and Torquay placed in the UK’s top five taking third and fourth place respectively, beating Liverpool, Belfast and York. Keswick, a market town in the Lake District is a newcomer to the top ten this year and ranks in ninth place, beating Glasgow.

The awards also reveal a growing north-south divide, with eight of the ten best rated UK destinations located to the north of the Midlands.

Among the top ten UK destinations, Blackpool offers the cheapest hotel rooms with £76.21 the average summer rate available on TripAdvisor – less than half the price of a comparable hotel room in London.

2015 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Destinations winners and average room rates for summer 2015*:

Discover the Top 10 Travellers’ Choice Destinations in the UK:

1.    London – Average nightly hotel rate* for summer 2015: £162.25

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season**: CitizenM Bankside, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £170.48 per night.

Places to discover: British Museum and The Five Fields***

2.    Edinburgh – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £146.75

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: Hotel Ceilidh-Donia, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £137.63 per night.

Places to discover: Edinburgh Castle and Café Royal Circle Bar

3.    Llandudno – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £91.31

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: The Clontarf Hotel, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £73.13 per night.

Places to discover: Great Orme and Orient Express Café Restaurant

4.    Torquay – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £91.39

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: Ascot House Hotel, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £94.86 per night.

Places to discover: Babbacombe Model Village and Old Vienna Restaurant

5.    Liverpool – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £94.66

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: Signature Living Hotel, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £84.40 per night.

Places to discover: The Beatles Fab Four Tour and Neon Jamon

6.    Blackpool – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £76.21

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: North Ocean Hotel, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £67.47 per night.

Places to discover: Blackpool Tramway and McHalls Bistro

7.    Belfast – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £97.50

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: Tara Lodge, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £116.35 per night.

Places to discover: Crumlin Road Gaol and Holohan’s

8.    York – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £118.79

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: The Groves, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £109.90 per night.

Places to discover: National Railway Museum and The Park Restaurant

9.    Keswick – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £139.03

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: The Cottage in the Wood, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £118.23 per night.

Places to discover: Derwentwater and The Square Orange Café Bar

10. Glasgow – Average nightly hotel rate for summer 2015: £90.46

Great value hotel option with availability during the summer season: Sherbrooke Castle Hotel, bookable on TripAdvisor for as little as £175.31 per night.

Places to discover: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and Number 16

Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions in destinations worldwide, gathered over a twelve month period.

For travellers looking to experience the award-winning destinations, TripAdvisor can help them plan and book their trip by comparing hotel prices from hundreds of others sites to find the best value. TripAdvisor also features comprehensive information on more than 147,000 destinations around the world, including descriptions and travel guides, candid traveler photos, as well as insight on must-visit attractions and restaurants.

As an additional resource, TripAdvisor has curated Travel Guides for the top 25 award-winning destinations in the world, which can be found at: www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Destinations. Travellers will also find hotel recommendations, tips on what to see in each destination, along with the complete list of winners.

*Hotel pricing is based on TripAdvisor booking data for June 1 – August 31, 2015, aggregated from booking partners, including online travel agencies and direct hotel suppliers.

*Average nightly hotel rates for summer 2015 are based on TripAdvisor data for June 1 through August 31, 2015, aggregated from booking partners, including online travel agencies and direct hotel suppliers.

**Great value hotels have a minimum four out of five TripAdvisor bubble rating and currently have availability between June 1 and August 31, 2015. Hotel pricing is based on TripAdvisor data for June 1 through August 31, 2015, aggregated from booking partners, including online travel agencies and direct hotel suppliers.

***Best rated attraction and restaurant in each winning UK destination according to the TripAdvisor Popularity Index. Correct as of 10th March 2015.