NEWTON, Mass., Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor^®, the world's largest travel site*, today announced the winners of its 2013 Travelers' Choice^™ Awards for Destinations on the Rise.  The awards highlight 54 spots globally that have seen the greatest increase in positive traveler feedback and traveler interest, year-over-year.

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Havana, Cuba was the number one ranked destination for the top 10 in the world, and lists were also revealed for Asia, Europe, South America, South Pacific, and the U.S.

"For travelers looking for inspiration for their 2014 travel planning, TripAdvisor travelers have helped us put a spotlight on some amazing destinations that caught the eye of travelers this past year," said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. "Between large cities gathering steam and off-the-beaten-path spots surfaced by our community, travelers can discover wonderful accommodations, attractions and restaurants in all of these award-winning destinations." 

Top 10 Destinations on the Rise in the World:

1. Havana, Cuba
2. La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica
3. Kathmandu, Nepal
4. Jerusalem, Israel
5. Cusco, Peru
6. Ambergris Caye, Belize
7. Sapporo, Japan
8. Hanoi, Vietnam
9. Corralejo, Spain
10. Fortaleza, Brazil

"Despite restrictions on visiting Cuba for Americans, there are now some limited opportunities to visit, such as through educational tours and family visits, that have not previously existed for decades," said Messing. "As many global travelers are well aware and as reflected in the feedback from millions of TripAdvisor travelers, Havana is an outstanding destination with growing appeal."

Top 10 Destinations on the Rise in the U.S.:

1. Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
2. Anchorage, Alaska
3. Destin, Florida
4. Bar Harbor, Maine
5. Santa Fe, New Mexico
6. Jackson, Wyoming
7. Galveston, Texas
8. Brooklyn, New York
9. Moab, Utah
10. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

For the complete list of winners from the 2013 Travelers' Choice Awards for Destinations on the Rise, go to www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-DestinationsontheRise.

To see the best hotels for luxury, service and more, as honored in TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards for Hotels from January, go to http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Hotels.

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor^® is the world's largest travel site*, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 260 million unique monthly visitors**, and more than 125 million reviews and opinions covering more than 3.1 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 34 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 21 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com,  www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com,  www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn. 

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, June 2013

**Source: Google Analytics, worldwide data, July 2013

©2013 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved. 

SOURCE TripAdvisor