Overview
Located at the very northern tip of New Zealand's South Island, Marlborough has something for everyone. The region is famously home to the Marlborough Sounds, a winding and picture-perfect network of sea-drowned valleys which encompasses one-fifth of New Zealand's coastline. It also happens to be the oldest winemaking region in the country with more than 35 cellar doors, so there's no question that one of your main objectives should be sampling local varietals. And now, we have it on good authority that locals will be breaking out the good china next time you pay a visit — the region has just been named as one of the ten most welcoming regions on earth for travellers.
Known predominantly for its epic sav blanc and stunning walking and hiking trails, Marlborough is also the only spot in the southern hemisphere to make the list from international travel site Booking.com, coming in at number six. It was beaten by fellow friendly spots La Rioja in Spain and Epirus in Greece — but came in front of Ninh Binh in Vietnam and Limon, Costa Rica.
The votes were tallied from a pool of over 240 million customer reviews – and yes, only customers that have actually stayed at an accommodation, rented a car or rode in a taxi can leave a review of their experience on the website. This award is coming straight from the road well-travelled.
If you're the type of traveller that books holidays based on word of mouth, you'll probably want to start putting together that itinerary ASAP — check out our Weekender's Guide for more inspiration. And while you're travel planning, head to Concrete Playground Trips to snap up some epic international travel deals.
Booking.com's Top 10 Most Welcoming Regions on Earth for 2023
1. La Rioja, Spain
2. Epirus, Greece
3. Oberosterreich, Austria
4. County Down, UK
5. Mures, Romania
6. Marlborough, New Zealand
7. Ninh Binh, Vietnam
8. Limon, Costa Rica
9. Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada
10. North Dakota, US
Marlborough has come in at number six on Booking.com's list of the top ten most welcoming regions in the world — the only destination in the southern hemisphere to do so. For more information on the famous wine region, head to Marlborough NZ.