What makes a holiday destination a happy place to explore? Is it the beach, the food, the nightlife or just how people feel after spending a few days there? Well, a new travel study has now tried to calculate that feeling into numbers by looking at the language travellers use in their online reviews.
More than a million reviews from places around the world were analysed for words and phrases that are commonly linked to happiness and joy. And the place to top the list is a Mexican beach town that is known far and wide for it is coastline, ancient ruins and laid-back holiday scene.
Also Read: Indian Railways' Vaishno Devi Darshan Package: Fare, Itinerary, And All You Need To Know
Tulum Is The Happiest Travel Destination In The World, As Per A Study
Photo: Unsplash
Tulum in Mexico has been named the world's happiest travel destination, according to a study by Irish travel insurance company JustCover.
The company analysed more than one million online travel reviews across 155 destinations, looking specifically for language that expressed happiness and joy. Examples included phrases such as "this place made me so happy" and "I felt genuine happiness here". The results were then used to create a 'Happy Place' score out of 100.
Tulum received a score of 100, putting it at No. 1. A perfect score doesn't mean every visitor loved Tulum. It simply topped JustCover's ranking system. In fact, the company says it calculated each destination's score from the share of reviews containing happiness-related language and then scaled the results, with the highest-scoring destination set at 100.
Tulum Is Extremely Popular Among Travellers
Perched on Mexico's Caribbean coast, Tulum is best known for its white-sand beaches and the ancient Maya ruins that sit dramatically above the sea. In recent years, it has also become a hotspot for wellness retreats, beach clubs and restaurants, drawing travellers from around the world.
Photo: Unsplash
The destination also has a strong food, wellness and nightlife scene, along with access to natural attractions. These are among the experiences highlighted by JustCover while describing why Tulum continues to attract international visitors. The ranking does not attempt to establish which destination has the happiest residents. It is specifically about the way travellers describe their experiences in online reviews.
Also Read: Delhi-Meerut Expressway Introduces New Speed-Limit Rules, Pilot Project Underway
Which Places Followed Tulum In The Study
Tulum was followed by Soufriere in Saint Lucia, which scored 95.2, while Oaxaca in Mexico took third place with 88.
The top 10 destinations were:
1. Tulum, Mexico - 100
2. Soufriere, Saint Lucia - 95.2
3. Oaxaca, Mexico - 88.0
4. Las Vegas, USA - 88.0
5. Maui, USA - 84.6
6. New York City, USA - 81.5
7. Cappadocia, Turkiye - 77.5
8. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 75.2
9. Chicago, USA - 74.0
10. Toronto, Canada - 71.4
Oaxaca's third-place finish means Mexico had two destinations in the global top three. Soufriere, meanwhile, was the highest-ranked destination outside Mexico.
