The most friendly city in the world has been named
Booking.com has published its 12th annual Traveller Review Awards, which includes a ranking of the 10 most welcoming destinations and regions in the world. The platform used more than 309 million verified customer reviews to create the list of destinations.
The winner was Arraial d'Ajuda in Bahia, Brazil, known as a paradise for vacationers for its beautiful beaches, followed by Ermoupoli, Greece, a city on the Cycladic island of Syros. However, not all of Booking.com's most welcoming places are near the beach, Travel + Leisure writes.
For example, Moab, a small town in southeastern Utah that is the gateway to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, is ranked sixth on the list.
"An outdoor enthusiast's paradise in southeastern Utah, Moab, is the perfect place to discover diverse landscapes that are among the most beautiful in the United States," Angela Davis, director of North American communications for Booking.com, said.
Davis also noted that the region is popular with stargazers as it is home to three certified international Dark Sky Parks and communities, including Arches National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, and Canyonlands National Park.
Moab is located in a valley on the Colorado Plateau near the Colorado River, so travellers can also enjoy water sports such as kayaking, rafting, or surfing. Historically, Moab's economy relied on agriculture and mining as key financial drivers. However, since at least the 1960s when Canyonlands National Park was established and visitors began to flock to the area to take advantage of hiking trails and admire the otherworldly scenery, tourism has been booming.
The city now has at least 20 food and beverage establishments, many of them located on the main street. There are also dozens of hotels, including the Field Station, a low-cost establishment for outdoor enthusiasts created by the founder of AutoCamp Hospitality Group, and Ulum Moab, a glamping resort 25 minutes to the south.