More than 207,000 readers weighed in this year, and the results say something honest about where seasoned travelers actually want to go in 2026. The full list spans 122 categories, but a handful of winners stand out as genuine signals of where the industry, and the traveler, is heading next.
The World’s Best City Has a New Name on Top
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, took the top spot as Best City in the World, leading a global top ten that also includes Kyoto, Chiang Mai, Hoi An, Oaxaca, Bangkok, Jerusalem, Siem Reap, Mexico City, and Tokyo.
It is a list that rewards depth over spectacle. Every city on it trades on culture, food, and a sense of place rather than sheer scale, which tracks with what Travel + Leisure’s editors observed about this year’s results overall. Editor in Chief Jacqui Gifford noted that the winners reflect an appetite for destinations that feel distinctive, memorable, and deeply rooted in place.
Domestically, the picture shifted toward the Southwest. Santa Fe, New Mexico, was named Best City in the U.S., with Charleston and Savannah rounding out the next two spots.
An Island in the Gulf of Thailand Broke a Long Streak
Koh Samui, Thailand, earned Best Island in the World for the first time, marking a genuine changing of the guard rather than a repeat win.
For American travelers who have spent the past decade hearing about Bali and Phuket, Koh Samui’s rise is worth paying attention to. It suggests a broader shift toward islands that still feel a step removed from the well-worn Southeast Asia circuit.
Closer to home, Georgia’s coast held its ground. Golden Isles, Georgia, was named Best Island in the U.S., continuing its reputation as one of the more underrated stretches of American coastline.
A Osaka Newcomer Claimed the World’s Best Hotel
Patina Osaka, Japan, was named Best Hotel in the World, part of a broader pattern of new and reimagined properties making a strong impression on readers this year.
Capella Hotels & Resorts took the title of Best Hotel Brand in the World, a result that rewards a smaller, more design-forward portfolio over the sprawling global chains that have traditionally dominated this category.
The Skies Have a New Leader Too
EVA Air rose to the top spot among international airlines this year, a notable shift for anyone who has watched the same handful of Middle Eastern and Asian carriers trade the top ranking back and forth for years.
Domestically, Green International Airport in Rhode Island was recognized as Best Airport in the U.S., a genuinely surprising result for a small regional airport to land on a list usually dominated by major hubs.
Cruise Lines Split Across Categories, and the Nile Took a New Crown
The cruise rankings this year read almost like a map of how differently people now define a cruise vacation.
Ocean cruising by ship size:
- Mega-ship: Virgin Voyages
- Large-ship: Disney Cruise Line
- Midsize-ship: Crystal
- Small-ship: Viking
- Intimate-ship: Quasar Expeditions
River cruising took an unexpected turn. The Oberoi Luxury Nile Cruisers won Best River Cruise Line in the World, a category that has been dominated by European river operators for years. A Nile-based line taking the top spot signals real momentum for Egypt as a bucket list river destination rather than a once-in-a-lifetime add-on.
Tour Operators and Safari Outfitters Rewarded Depth Over Scale
TCS World Travel was named Best Tour Operator in the World, and Rothschild Safaris took the title of Best Safari Operator in the World.
Both winners specialize in highly curated, small-group experiences rather than mass market itineraries, which fits neatly with what the rest of this year’s results are pointing toward. Readers are not simply rewarding luxury. They are rewarding operators who get travelers genuinely close to a place.
Yellowstone Still Reigns at Home
Yellowstone was recognized as Best U.S. National Park, continuing its hold on American travelers even in a year when the park has made headlines for very different reasons.
What the List Actually Says About Where Travel Is Heading
Read together, this year’s winners point to a traveler who wants substance behind the itinerary. A colonial city in central Mexico beat out global capitals. A Gulf of Thailand island unseated islands that have dominated headlines for a decade. A river line built around ancient Egypt outranked the storied waterways of Europe.
None of it reads as a fluke. It reads as a preference for places that reward curiosity, the kind of destination that gives a traveler something to talk about long after the trip ends.
Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.