It seems like the UAE is forever breaking records, winning awards, and claiming titles that begin with biggest (frame) and best (spa), among other superlatives. Consequently, when UK online travel agency LoveHolidays compiled a list of about 3,000 “destination awards” given over the past five years, the UAE topped the list in the travel, hospitality, business and entertainment categories.
The country won a total of 282 awards overall across all six categories, followed by the United States at 188 and South Africa at 113. Among these, the UAE collected 35 awards in travel; notably, LovehHolidays reports that the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital has collected the World Travel Awards' Middle East's Responsible Tourism Award every year between 2015 and 2019. The Emirates were followed by Jamaica and the United States, which each got 26 and 24 awards within the travel segment.
The UAE also scored high in the hospitality category – winning 182 awards in five years, compared to 88 won by the United States, the second-place-holder and 78 by Thailand in position 3. A contributing factor here, notes the travel agency, is the fact that Burj Al Arab has won the Leading All Suite Hotel award every year between 2015 and 2019.
With its 25 awards, UAE also topped the business category for its conference destinations, club lounges and convention centres. Finally, the country came first in the entertainment sector, thanks in part to Warner Bros World in Abu Dhabi being named the Middle East's Leading Tourist Attraction by the World Travel Awards.
Coming in at second place in the destination category (for hotels, resorts and retreats), the UAE claimed 23 award compared to the 38 won by the United States.
The final category, conservation, was dominated by African and European countries in the top 10 spots, including Kenya, Spain and South Africa.
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What to see and do in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah:
