South Australians, rejoice! SA has been named one of the ‘Top 10 Most Welcoming Regions on Earth’ in Booking.com’s 13th annual Traveller Review Awards, which honour travel partners deemed to have delivered exceptional service.
Booking.com says the accolade, based on over 360 million customer reviews, highlights South Australia’s commitment to exceptional hospitality.
In 2025, a record 1.71 million travel partners received awards globally, a 16 per cent increase on last year. In Australia, a record 27,432 partners were acknowledged. This includes accommodations, rental car companies and taxi providers.
Apartments continued to dominate as the most-awarded accommodation type worldwide for the eighth year, with 847,627 awards.
Domestically, holiday homes saw a 25 per cent rise in awards, reflecting travellers’ growing desire for unique stays, according to the online travel agent.
The winners are determined by the percentage of accommodation providers in a city or region earning Traveller Review Awards.
2025’s Most Welcoming Regions on Earth:
- South Australia, Australia
- Osijek-Baranja, Croatia
- Kakheti, Georgia
- Madeira, Portugal
- Misiones, Argentina
- Graubünden, Switzerland
- Bretagne, France
- Baja California Sur, Mexico
- Kien Giang, Vietnam
- Drenthe, Netherlands
Meanwhile, the OTA also revealed Australia’s ‘Most Welcoming Cities’, with towns in several states honoured.
2025’s Most Welcoming Cities in Australia:
- Montville, Queensland
- Maleny, Queensland
- Margaret River Town, Western Australia
- Mudgee, New South Wales
- Ocean Grove, Victoria
- Bicheno, Tasmania
- Port Lincoln, South Australia
- Halls Gap, Victoria
- Daylesford, Victoria
- Orange, New South Wales
“It’s no news to locals, but now the world knows that South Australia is among the most welcoming regions in the world,” South Australian Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said.
“The fact that this highly regarded accolade is based on more than 360 million reviews on the leading travel site, Booking.com is an honour and will put our state on the consideration list of engaged potential visitors worldwide.
“From the Adelaide Hills to Kangaroo Island, from the Barossa to the Murray River and the Flinders Ranges, guests will always be warmly welcomed in South Australia.”
Todd Lacey, Regional Manager, Oceania for Booking.com added, “Our Booking.com partners go above and beyond to help create memorable travel moments”.
“We’re thrilled to see South Australia recognised on the global stage this year, and are looking forward to continuing to support our local partners as they welcome visitors to the state’s world-class events, wine regions and scenic landscapes.”
