Discovering new places, or finally visiting a landmark that we’ve been dreaming about for years, can become one of the most rewarding moments in our lives. Travelling makes us happy, so much so that even our social feeds are filled with our friends and family smiling on their latest adventures – which got us thinking about how different destinations make us feel.
Whether it’s a beach teeming with sea lions, or an iconic landmark offering panoramic views over a thrilling city, there are countless experiences that bring us joy all over the world. And with some places making our smiles that bit bigger than others, we wondered which global holiday hotspots make us smile the most?
Our new research reveals where in the world is home to the happiest tourists, so read on to find some joyous travel inspiration for your next trip – then all that’s left to do is book your flights, buy your travel insurance and head out on your next adventure!
Where is home to the world’s happiest tourists?
We took a sample of photos from three different iconic tourist attractions found in 100 popular holiday destinations, putting them through a facial analysis tool to get a ‘smile score’. We averaged out and compared the ‘smile score’ for each destination to create a ranking of holiday hotspots which prompt the biggest smiles from visitors.
Out of all the locations we analysed in our study, one of the UK’s favourite travel spots – the Lake District – ranked first. This area of natural beauty in the north-west of England boasts a huge average ‘smile score’ of 88.4/100, with the likes of the majestic Lake Windermere and the Aira Force Waterfall all making visitors extremely happy.
The top three is completed by Lofoten and Queenstown. Lofoten is a Norwegian archipelago with a rich Viking history and spectacular shows of the aurora borealis, while Queenstown is located in New Zealand and is often referred to as the adventure capital of the world thanks to its plethora of adrenaline fuelled activities on offer to locals and tourists alike.
Cities dominate the top 25 happiest holiday hotspots. Asian metropolises like Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Phuket feature alongside North American cityscapes like Vancouver, New York and Nashville – all of them boasting an impressively high smile score thanks to thousands of tourists grinning away in pictures of themselves there.
The top 25 happiest holiday hotspots
| Rank | Location | Country | Average Smile Score (out of 100) |
| 1 | Lake District | United Kingdom | 88.4 |
| 2 | Lofoten | Norway | 85.2 |
| 3 | Queenstown | New Zealand | 84.2 |
| 4 | Vancouver | Canada | 83.5 |
| 5 | Gold Coast | Australia | 81.3 |
| 6 | Hong Kong | China | 80.8 |
| 7 | Isle of Skye | United Kingdom | 79.1 |
| 8 | Panama City | Panama | 77.8 |
| 9 | Wellington | New Zealand | 77.4 |
| 10 | New Forest | United Kingdom | 77.3 |
| 11 | County Kerry | Ireland | 77.1 |
| 12 | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | 77 |
| 13 | Palawan | Philippines | 76.9 |
| =13 | Lisbon | Portugal | 76.9 |
| 15 | Barcelona | Spain | 76.7 |
| 16 | Cornwall | United Kingdom | 76 |
| 17 | Playa del Carmen | Mexico | 75.9 |
| 18 | New York City | United States | 75.6 |
| 19 | Istanbul | Turkey | 75 |
| 20 | Phuket | Thailand | 74.6 |
| 21 | Rovaniemi | Finland | 74.3 |
| 22 | Nashville | United States | 73.8 |
| 23 | Byron Bay | Australia | 73.1 |
| 24 | Adelaide | Australia | 72.9 |
| 25 | Luxembourg City | Luxembourg | 72.5 |
1. Lake District, United Kingdom – an average smile score of 88.4
The Lake District National Park, which is home to the highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike, offers no end of picturesque villages and spectacular vistas – all of which make for some very happy tourists. The average ‘smile score’ of visitors to this area is a massive 88.4, making it the place in the world with the happiest visitors. Tourists in this area give the broadest and biggest smiles in pictures on Instagram, skyrocketing this beautiful English landscape into first place.
2. Lofoten, Norway – an average smile score of 85.2
With dramatic mountains and pristine beaches glistening in the midnight sun in summer, and heavy blankets of snow and darkness taking over during the winter’s polar night, Lofoten is an incredible tourist destination that offers travellers an entirely different experience depending on when they visit. Regardless of the season however, tourist hotspots like Haukland Beach and the Reinebringen mountain bring so much joy to tourists that Lofoten lands securely in second place.
3. Queenstown, New Zealand – an average smile score of 84.2
Not only does Queenstown offer activities that would satiate any adrenaline junkie, but this kiwi town has been used as a filming location for Lord of the Rings, is famous for its award winning wines, has plenty of hiking trails and gorgeous mountain views and is also a haven for golfers. As such, it comes as no real surprise that such a high number of tourists who experience Queenstown are grinning from ear to ear in their pictures.
4. Vancouver, Canada – an average smile score of 83.5
Situated on the west coast of Canada, Vancouver has also been a prime filming spot for scores of movies and TV shows including Deadpool, Fifty Shades of Grey and Star Trek. With the likes of Stanley Park, which stretches over 1,000 acres, and Granville Island, which offers artisan shops, theatres and galleries, tourists in the city have got plenty of options to keep them entertained while visiting.
5. Gold Coast, Australia – an average smile score of 81.3
Securing fifth place, and hosting some of the world’s happiest tourists, is the Gold Coast in Australia. World renowned for its surfing and theme parks, tourists can choose from exploring its 70 km of coastline or heading inland to the Gold Coast Hinterland – where they will find rainforests, waterfalls and fantastic hiking opportunities.
6. Hong Kong, China – an average smile score of 80.8
Offering the best of both worlds, Hong Kong is where one of the world’s most iconic skylines and vibrant city life meets lush rainforests and nature reserves where you can swim and hike to your heart’s content. The likes of Hong Kong Disneyland, the Tian Tan Buddha and Victoria Peak all contributed to this holiday hotspot gaining itself a smile score of over 80.
7. Isle of Skye, United Kingdom – an average smile score of 79.1
The second UK hotspot to feature in the top 10, this Scottish island is determined to leave no visitor displeased. Rugged mountains, chilly lochs and striking views meet you everywhere you turn, and with a rich Scottish history associated with the island you’re certain to have an incredible trip no matter how long you visit for.
8. Panama City, Panama – an average smile score of 77.8
Home to the Panama Canal, a famous canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Panama City is the capital of Panama and connects the continents of North and South America. With a vibrant nightlife, colonial architecture and sugar-white sand beaches, Panama City’s tourists look particularly happy, obtaining a smile score of almost 78 across the sample of pictures analysed.
9. Wellington, New Zealand – an average smile score of 77.4
New Zealand’s second feature in the top 10, Wellington is commonly referred to as the cultural capital of this oceanic country. It offers an incredible arts scene, a world-renowned coffee culture and many beautiful viewpoints. Popular tourist attractions like the Wellington Botanic Garden and ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary are among the locations we analysed to reveal that Wellington boasts a smile score of 77.4.
10. New Forest, United Kingdom – an average smile score of 77.3
The UK’s third entry into the top 10, the New Forest is another national park in England, covering 566 square kilometres of unspoiled woodland and heathland. The ancient woodlands were a royal hunting ground for William the Conqueror in 1079, and today it’s the Beaulieu National Motor Museum, along with the national park’s trails and wildlife parks that contribute to the smiles on visiting tourists’ faces.
We’re sure that no matter where your next trip is, you’ll be smiling all day long, but we hope this list has given you that extra bit of inspiration for where to book your next adventure! To make sure it’s smiles all round from take-off to landing back in the UK, ensure you’ve got comprehensive insurance in place for the duration of your trip too.
Methodology
To find out which holiday hotspots evoke the most happiness, we analysed over 3,000 Instagram posts across 100 of the world’s most popular holiday destinations.
AWS (Amazon Web Services) Rekognition software was used to assess the smile score of people’s expressions in the pictures. For each destination we created an average smile score, which we then used to rank the happiest holiday hotspots.
All data correct as of August 2024.