The starry night in southeastern Taiwan is among the reasons for Taitung County’s and City’s strong performance on Booking.com’s 2022 top 10 list of most welcoming places on Earth. (Courtesy of TCG)
 

Taiwan’s southeastern Taitung City and County feature in Booking.com’s top 10 most welcoming places on Earth lists for 2022.

Compiled by the Netherlands-headquartered online travel platform, the lists placed Taitung County second among the 10 most welcoming regions, behind Slovenia’s Gorenjska in first and ahead of Australia, Seychelles, New Zealand and Spain.

Taitung City ranked third in the category of the most welcoming cities, trailing rivals in Italy and Slovenia and above Greek, Spanish and Portuguese contenders. It was lauded by Booking.com for its proximity to beautiful beaches, parks and rich indigenous culture.

According to the platform, travelers love Taitung City’s year-round tropical climate and stunning views. Its rich and eclectic culinary scene is also highly recommended for foodies.

Taitung County Government said the rankings are testament to the local authorities’ tireless efforts in bolstering slow tourism. Greater attention will be paid to developing travel policies for the post-pandemic era while promoting existing popular events such as the Taiwan International Balloon Festival, Taiwan Open of Surfing and Starry Taitung, which features stargazing tours and concerts, TCG added.

The lists are part of the 10th annual Traveler Review Awards, drawn from over 232 million verified reviews from real travelers. A total of 1.26 million accommodation providers, car rental locations, and pre-booked taxi providers in 220 countries and territories have received an award for 2022. These include 7,350 partners in Taiwan, according to the platform. (YCH-E)