London, UK, 4 August, 2020 – Tripadvisor®, the world’s largest travel site together with Viator, the world’s leading tours and activities platform and a Tripadvisor company, today announced the winners for the 2020 Travellers’ Choice® awards for Experiences. The awards recognise the world’s top bookable experiences - tours and activities - as decided by Tripadvisor and Viator travellers. Tripadvisor also released its winning list of amusement parks and waterparks globally.
This year, Travellers’ Choice awards for Experiences are a partnership between the two brands, combining Tripadvisor’s power and influence as the biggest travel guidance platform in the world and Viator’s expertise providing the world’s largest selection of high quality experiences. All bookable experiences on Tripadvisor are powered by Viator.
Immersive experiences are firm favourites globally
A Dubai desert BBQ and camel ride claimed the number one worldwide, while a Harry Potter walking tour for Muggles took top spot in the UK in this year’s awards, as travellers showed affinity for immersive experiences that give them a flavour of destinations beyond the beaten path.
Scottish experiences soar to new heights
Closer to home, Scottish experiences proved to be hot competition for the capital, with a day-trip to Loch Ness, Glencoe and the Highlands, an Edinburgh darkside walking tour, and a Skip-the-Line walking tour of Edinburgh Castle claiming three out of the top five spots in the UK list.
The Travellers’ Choice Awards for Experiences recognise 375 experiences, tours, and activities globally, highlighting the world’s best experiences. They’re also broken down by country, and by category, including day cruises, cultural tours, day trips, multi-day tours, hop-on-hop-off tours, and food, beer, and wine experiences. Winners were determined using an algorithm based on reviews and ratings for bookable experiences over a 12-month period.
“Viator’s global partnership with Tripadvisor ensures that more of the incredible experiences bookable on our site are also available to the world,” said Ben Drew, president of Viator. “No one simply travels to a destination to stay in their hotel room and calls it ‘memorable.’ Viator and Tripadvisor give more travellers the opportunity to experience the richness that a destination can offer, making memories that will last a lifetime -- whether you’re sandboarding in the Arabian desert, or making pizza in a Tuscan farmhouse. This year’s winners illustrate travellers’ appreciation for experiences that are truly unforgettable, and that they’ll remember and talk about for years to come.”
Travellers’ Choice Experiences
Tripadvisor and Viator are proud to announce the top experience providers who are winners of the Travellers’ Choice awards in the UK and globally. They include:
Top 5 Experiences in the UK:
- Harry Potter Walking Tour for Muggles in London – London, England, bookable from £18
For Harry Potter lovers visiting London, the city has so many magical movie locations to explore. Join a group of fellow muggles for a walking tour and see the real-life locations that inspired sets such as Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron, and the Ministry of Magic. Learn all about Harry Potter and the filming of the movies from an expert guide, this small-group tour ensures a personalised experience. - Loch Ness, Glencoe and the Highlands Small-Group Day Tour from Edinburgh – Edinburgh, Scotland, bookable from £48
Opt for a personalised experience of the Scottish Highlands on a small-group day trip from Edinburgh, limited to 16 people. Ideal for visitors with limited time, this guided tour transports you to Loch Ness and other Highland highlights with ease and efficiency. Stop at Glencoe, Cairngorms National Park, and Fort Augustus along the way, and upgrade to include a cruise on the legendary Loch Ness. Plus, travelling in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach means you can feel comfortable throughout the journey to and from Edinburgh. - Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour: Mysteries, Murder and Legends – Edinburgh, Scotland, bookable from £13
Journey through Edinburgh’s grisliest tales on a haunted walking tour. Experience the ghastly histories of monsters, madness, and murder that cast a dark shadow on the capital city. Discover the stories and sites of witch trials, pagan rituals, and executions, and hear about local monsters that live in urban myth. Then visit the chilling Old Calton Burial Ground or Canongate Kirkyard cemetery to learn about body-snatching and some of the infamous interred. - Skip-the-Line Edinburgh Castle Walking Tour – Edinburgh, Scotland, bookable from £35
Save valuable vacation time with skip-the-line access to Edinburgh Castle on this walking tour. Avoid hours of waiting in line and breeze right inside with your priority admission ticket. Then, listen to your guide's commentary about the Scottish landmark's history as you walk through one of Scotland's most famous landmarks. - Oxford University Walking Tour With University Alumni Guide – Oxford, England, bookable from £18
Walk the halls of one of the world’s oldest and most famous universities on this walking tour of Oxford University. Get a glimpse of student life as you peek inside the famous Bodleian Library and see landmarks like the University Church of St. Mary, Radcliffe Camera, and Trinity College. Learn about the prestigious university’s famous alumni, hear fascinating stories and anecdotes about its history, and see on-campus locations used in the Harry Potter films.
Top 5 Experiences in the World:
- Premium Red Dunes & Camel Safari with BBQ at Al Khayma Camp – Dubai, United Arab Emirates, bookable from £46
- Pizza and Gelato Cooking Class in Tuscan Farmhouse – Florence, Italy, bookable from £64
- Luxury Small-Group Canal Cruise in Open-Air Boat – Amsterdam, Netherlands, bookable from £16
- Discover Berlin Half-Day Walking Tour – Berlin, Germany, bookable from £9
- Northern Ireland Highlights Day Trip Including Giant’s Causeway from Dublin – Dublin, Ireland, bookable from £60
Our Travellers’ Choice awards for Experiences identified the top bookable travel experiences listed on Tripadvisor globally. Winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account a business’s reviews, opinions and popularity with travellers over the last year.
Prices may vary due to seasonality and are accurate as of 31 July 2020.
Travellers’ Choice Attractions
Tripadvisor is also pleased to announce the top attractions, inclusive of lists for top water parks and amusement parks winning Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best awards in the UK and globally. The awards recognise 199 attractions globally. The Travellers’ Choice Amusement Parks and Water Parks award-winners were determined based on the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and opinions for attractions on Tripadvisor in 2019.
Top 5 Amusement Parks in the UK:
An amusement park or theme park is an entertainment complex featuring a variety of attractions, rides and activities.
- Paultons Park – Romsey, England
- The Milky Way Adventure Park – Clovelly, England
- Adventure Island – Southend-on-Sea, England
- Sundown Adventureland – Retford, England
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach – Blackpool, England
Top 5 Amusement Parks in the World:
- Magic Kingdom Park – Orlando, FL
- Puy du Fou – Les Epesses, France
- Universal's Islands of Adventure – Orlando, Florida
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Orlando, Florida
- Universal Studios Florida – Orlando, Florida
Top 5 Water Parks in Europe:
A water park is an entertainment complex featuring a variety of water attractions, rides and activities.
- Siam Park – Tenerife, Spain
- Aqua Dome – Tralee, Ireland
- Aquapark Istralandia – Novigrad, Croatia
- Aqualand Corfu Water Park – Corfu, Greece
- Water Park – Rhodes, Greece
Top 5 Water Parks in the World:
- Siam Park – Tenerife, Spain
- Waterbom Bali – Kuta, Indonesia
- Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Aqua Dome – Tralee, Ireland
- Aquapark Istralandia – Novigrad, Croatia
Check out the 2020 Travellers’ Choice Award winners, across all categories at tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice to discover highly rated places near you, or get inspired for future trips and save your favourites for when you’re ready to visit. Travellers can also follow the conversation on Twitter at #travelerschoice.
About Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel platform*, helps 463 million travellers each month** make every trip their best trip. Travellers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to browse more than 860 million reviews and opinions of 8.7 million accommodations, restaurants, experiences, airlines and cruises. Whether planning or on a trip, travellers turn to Tripadvisor to compare low prices on hotels, flights and cruises, book popular tours and attractions, as well as reserve tables at great restaurants. Tripadvisor, the ultimate travel companion, is available in 49 markets and 28 languages.
The subsidiaries and affiliates of Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP) own and operate a portfolio of websites and businesses, including the following travel media brands:
www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, and www.bookatable.co.uk), www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.seatguru.com, www.singleplatform.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com and www.viator.com.
* Source: Jumpshot for Tripadvisor Sites, worldwide, November 2019
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files, average monthly unique visitors, Q3 2019
About Viator
Viator, a Tripadvisor company, makes it easy to find and book incredible tours and activities. With access to the world's largest selection of high-quality experiences, there's always something new to discover, both near and far from home. With industry-leading flexibility and last-minute availability, it’s never too late to make any day extraordinary. From must-do moments to who-knew discoveries, Viator is here to make the most of your time off.
###
