BLACKPOOL NAMED IN TOP TEN UK DESTINATIONS IN ANNUAL TRIPADVISOR TRAVELLERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
24 March 2015
by Visit Blackpool
Northern destinations win big in UK awards
LONDON, UK. – 24 March, 2015 – Blackpool has today been named in the UK’s ten best rated destinations 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.
North trumps south in UK destinations list
Among the top ten UK destinations, Blackpool offers the best value hotel rooms with £76.21 the average summer rate available on TripAdvisor – less than half the price of a comparable hotel room in London.
This year the awards reveal a growing north-south divide, with eight of the ten best rated UK destinations located to the north of the Midlands.
It was also a great result for smaller UK destinations this year with Llandudno, Torquay and Keswick all named in the top ten.
Alan Cavill, Blackpool Council’s Director of Place, said, “We already know that Blackpool is a fantastic place to visit but it’s great to be recognised by the people who come here on holiday too.
“Being named as one of the top ten locations in the UK puts us in the same company as some great cities and resorts. Blackpool is back and we’d encourage everybody to come and give us a visit.”
Global competition tougher than ever
Globally, 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 destinations steal 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 more than holding their own against larger city rivals.”
2015 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Destinations winners and average room rates for summer 2015*:
| World top 10 | Hotel rate | Europe top 10 | Hotel rate | UK top 10 | Hotel rate |
- 1. Marrakech
| £60.27 | - Istanbul
| £71.66 | - London
| £162.25 |
- Siem Reap
| £37.71 | - Prague
| £57.83 | - Edinburgh
| £146.75 |
- Istanbul
| £71.66 | - 3. London
| £162.25 | - Llandudno
| £91.31 |
- Hanoi
| £27.06 | - Rome
| £86.72 | - Torquay
| £91.39 |
- Prague
| £57.83 | - Paris
| £114.34 | - Liverpool
| £94.66 |
- 6. London
| £162.25 | - Zermatt
| £160.92 | - Blackpool
| £76.21 |
- Rome
| £86.72 | - Barcelona
| £89.77 | - Belfast
| £97.50 |
- Buenos Aires
| £63.21 | - Goreme
| £41.85 | - York
| £118.79 |
- Paris
| £114.34 | - St Petersburg
| £57.11 | - Keswick
| £139.03 |
| 10. Cape Town | £77.21 | 10. Athens | £58.14 | 10. Glasgow | £90.46 |
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 traveller 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.