Unveiling the Most Welcoming Cities of 2026 by Booking.com
Booking.com has recently announced the world’s most welcoming destinations for 2026, a list curated from over 370 million verified traveler reviews. Claiming the top spot as the most welcoming city globally is Montepulciano, a charming hilltop town in southern Tuscany, Italy, celebrated for its friendly locals, stunning Renaissance architecture, and the renowned Vino Nobile wine.
The rankings, a part of Booking.com’s 14th annual Traveller Review Awards, honor 1.81 million travel partners across 221 countries and territories. These partners have consistently delivered exceptional hospitality, as determined by the share of accommodation partners receiving high review scores of 8.0 or higher.
Following closely behind Montepulciano in the top five most welcoming cities are Magong in Taiwan’s Penghu Islands, San MartÃn de los Andes in Argentina, Harrogate in England, and Fredericksburg in Texas. The top 10 cities list also features seven European destinations, underscoring the continent’s strong hospitality culture.
According to the report, nearly half of travelers (45%) consider destinations with friendly locals as a major factor when deciding where to travel. The report also highlighted a significant growth in hospitality standards, with Bulgaria showing a remarkable 68% increase in award recipients compared to 2025. This was closely followed by South Korea (46%) and China (39%).
Source: Booking.com