A major insurance company has crunched the data and discovered the places where travellers would most like to return to.
UK insurer InsureandGo has raked through international online reviews and found the world’s favourite repeat destinations including countries, cities and attractions.
Where in your travels would you most like to return to?
Regular travellers, or even just people who enjoy a weekend getaway will all admit to a favourite destination.
Some like their favourites so much they buy a house there, while others keep returning again and again.
“There’s no end to the experiences you can have while traveling, with so many different countries and cities around the globe just waiting to be explored,” Russell Wallace, travel insurance expert at InsureandGo, said.
“In some instances, however, traveling to the same place repeatedly can, in fact, provide a richer experience, bringing with it a deeper understanding of a destination, along with local insights and maybe even discovering some hidden gems.”
Land of the rising tourist visits
Number one on the list of countries I’d like to return to is Japan. This is no surprise to me, everyone who has ever visited this beautiful country raves about it.
And what’s not to love? Delicious food, unique culture and history and of course cherry blossoms.
The next top three are Italy, Spain and Mexico, followed by Thailand, Ireland, France, Iceland, Greece and Germany. Sadly Australia doesn’t even crack the top 10.
The top city travellers want to return to is London, followed by Paris and equal third Barcelona and New York.
Clearly, Samuel Johnson’s 1777 quote “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life” still stands.
Still no Australian cities in the top 10, which follow on from Rome in fourth position, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Berlin, Edinburgh, Mexico City, and Madrid.
Working nine to five
And there is a surprising winner for favourite attraction to return to. If you were asked, would your first response be Disneyland?
Well, you’d be close, but it’s actually Dollywood, with Disneyland in second place and Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, US in third.
While I’d heard of the first two, Stone Mountain Park was a complete mystery. A quick online search reveals it’s, not surprisingly, a park with a stonking great stone mountain in the middle. A bit like a US version of Uluru. However, it also has a cable car, restored historic buildings and gardens, farmyard animals, fancy accommodations, a golf course, a laser show and it hosts a bunch of festivals. In fact, the Latino Family Festival is on right now.
I almost want to travel to this place I’ve never heard of as well.
Rounding out the top 10 are Warner Bros Studio Tour, UK; Blenheim Palace and Grand Canyon National Park in equal fifth; Crazy Horse Memorial and Hampton Court Palace, also in an equal position, and then Tokyo Disneyland, Yosemite National Park and Universal Studios, Florida.
InsureandGo lists 50 attractions people would like to return to, and yep, not one of them is Australian.
Time to get our act together.
Which destination or attraction would you most like to return to? Why not share your favourite in the comments section below?
Also read: Don’t forget this hidden holiday cost
