Tanzania has once more been crowned the World’s Leading Travel Destination, a title which the country wins for the second year in a row.
The World Travel Awards’ grand finale also named Thanda Island on the Indian Ocean’s Tanzanian waters as the World’s Leading Exclusive Private Island, with the property also winning the crown for the second year.
Hong Kong was named the world’s leading business travel destination.
The leaders of the global travel and tourism industry gathered in Funchal, which is the Capital for Portugal’s Autonomous Region of Madeira, to find out which among their various destinations and properties have been voted the industry’s best of the best in the world.
The gala evening which took place in the idyllic Atlantic islands of Madeira on 24 November, marked the climax of World Travel Awards 2024 Grand Tour.
And for the first time in the history of the global travel awards, the Serengeti Balloon Safari of Tanzania gets the crown of being the world’s leading Balloon ride operator.
The annual WTA is a global search for the best travel and tourism properties, destinations and organisations.
Previously there were regional award ceremonies hosted in Berlin, Dubai, Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, Manila and Diani Beach, Kenya, where again Tanzania had emerged Africa’s leading Destination.
During the African version of the awards, Serengeti, the third biggest National Park in Tanzania, famous for its annual wildebeest migration, was crowned the continent’s leading National Park in 2024, taking the accolade for the sixth year in a row.
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania which carries two highest peaks in Africa also emerged as the continent’s leading tourist attraction.
Now for the Grand Final features the World Travel Awards regional winners went head-to-head for the prestigious global categories, the highest accolades in the awards programme.
Categories cover the entire spectrum of the industry, ranging from hotels and resorts to airlines and tour operators.
In 2023, Tanzania was again crowned the World Leading Safari Destination as a country, toppling Kenya which won the award in 2022.