travel

10 Most Welcoming Places in the World—See Which U.S. State Made the List

In January, Booking.com revealed its list for the most welcoming places in the world for 2023.
Catherine Falls Commercial | Moment | Getty Images

This year's annual Booking.com Traveler Review Awards included a list of the most welcoming places in the world for 2023.

To rank the regions, Booking.com used a pool of over 240 million verified customer reviews from their site.

Destinations were chosen based on factors like the number of reviews for friendly hospitality, and the amount of rental properties and hotels in the region.

This year's most welcoming places in the world span five continents.

Most welcoming places in the world 2023

  • La Rioja, Spain
  • Epirus, Greece
  • Oberösterreich, Austria
  • County Down, U.K.
  • Mures, Romania
  • Marlborough, New Zealand
  • Ninh Binh, Vietnam
  • Limon, Costa Rica
  • Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada
  • North Dakota, U.S.

One of the most welcoming places in the world is La Rioja, Spain. It lies in the north of the country and is one of Spain's biggest and best wine destinations, according to Lonely Planet.

La Rioja is also known for its religious architecture, including the UNESCO World Heritage Suso and Yuso monasteries in San Millán de la Cogolla.

The only U.S. destination to make the list is North Dakota. According to the U.S. News and World Report, the midwestern state ranks no. 14 in the overall rankings of the best states in the United States.

North Dakota is known for its Badlands, an area of the state that is now part of the 70,000-acre Theodore Roosevelt National Park and is famous for the rough terrain that makes it a "bad land to travel," according to the National Park Service.

Limon, Costa Rica also made this year's list. Costa Rica is one of the happiest places in the world, according to the World Happiness Report.

Limon is considered to be one of the most pristine and lush regions of Costa Rica. Despite this, the city remains one of the least traveled regions in the country.

Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletter

Don't miss:

Japan has the No. 1 most powerful passport in the world for 2023—see where the U.S. lands on the list

Lisbon and Mexico City are on travelers’ wish lists for 2023: These are the top 10 trending vacation destinations

Copyright CNBC
Contact Us