Booking.com, a global leader in connecting travelers with incredible places to stay and seamless transport options including flights, car rentals, and airport transfers, recognized partners who consistently deliver standout hospitality at the Traveller Review Awards 2026 event. This year, there were 16,692 property, rental car, and airport taxi partners in Thailand who received the award, with an 8.8 average review score, based on 4,228,972 verified million reviews from travelers around the world (16,670 for accommodation, 17 for rental car, and 5 for airport taxi providers).
While Thai hospitality providers are recognized with these awards, this marks not an endpoint, but a step toward reinforcing Thailand’s standing as a high-quality destination for global travelers. The event also featured a panel discussion titled “Staying Unique in a Competitive Market: Turning Exceptional Service into Outstanding Reviews,” bringing together spokespersons from both the public and private tourism sectors to explore how to elevate travel experiences and advance quality tourism in Thailand.
From Reviews to a Unique Destination
Amid the highly competitive tourism environment multiple markets, Traveller Review Awards 2026 from Booking.com revealed that Phang Nga, Thailand ranked one of the most welcoming regions globally*. Mr. Branavan Aruljothi, Area Manager at Booking.com stated that while Thailand’s renowned hospitality makes it a top-of-mind destination for travelers worldwide, it is the character of the Thai people that keep visitors coming back.
When discussing how to attract travelers to Thailand, it is important to understand their behaviors and expectations, which have been evolving over time. Mr. Narin Tijayang, Executive Director, Digital and Information Technology Department at Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) shared that travelers’ expectations can be categorized into four dimensions: seeking unique or new experiences, making a positive contribution to local communities, ensuring safety and security, and taking responsibility for the destinations they visit. “Today’s travelers seek more than just visiting destinations – they seek meaningful experiences. Responsibilities are no longer optional; they must be acted upon, and in doing so, they become a source of true happiness,” said Mr. Narin.
Additionally, to maintain Thailand’s position as a unique, high-quality destination, Mr. Narin revealed that TAT is currently focusing on value over volume by transforming itself into a data-driven organization. The data is analyzed to track the number of travelers to Thailand and their behaviors, anticipate future travel trends or potential obstacles, and provide descriptive insights into challenges and opportunities for achieving the organization’s ultimate goals.
Where Personalization Shapes Reviews
At a time when travelers are seeking authenticity more than ever, two accommodation partners—recognized by the Booking.com Traveller Review Awards 2026 for consistently delivering exceptional service—shared their insights on enhancing travelers’ experiences, highlighting best practices from operations to service delivery that help generate positive reviews.
Mr. Nichlas John Maratos, Vice President – Commercial at Dusit International said that travel today is increasingly experience-driven and purpose-led, with travelers seeking journeys that are both distinctive and meaningful. “At Dusit, we focus on delivering personalized and locally relevant experiences—enabled by AI and data insights—to better understand each guest and bring our hospitality to life in ways that are authentic to each destination. Guided by our Gracious Hospitality pillars, we integrate wellness and sustainability into every stay, while thoughtfully interpreting our Thai heritage alongside the character of each location. This allows us to create experiences that are personal, balanced, and truly memorable,” he explained.
Building on this, Mrs. Nino Kurtskhalia, Senior Director E-Commerce and Digital Experience at lebua Hotels and Resorts, noted that with travelers knowing what they want and valuing what they experience, delivering personalized and genuine services can leave guests lasting impressions. She added, “Providing attention-to-detail services is essential, while maintaining consistency across every touchpoint of the guest journey is equally important, as travelers often highlight these small details in their reviews.”
Traveller Review Awards 2026
When it comes to travelers’ choices of destinations or accommodations, personalization in experiences and activities has become increasingly important, according to Mr. Branavan. “Reviews are also significant, especially at a time when AI is rapidly advancing, and reviews on Booking.com are all written by actual guests and reflect real human experiences. This helps travelers identify what best aligns with their preferences,” he added.
“We would like to honor our partners for their hard work with the Traveller Review Awards, as reviews from our customers can make a significant difference. Guests are telling future guests about the amazing work our partners are doing, and this award is one of our ways of saying ‘thank you’ from all of us at Booking.com and the hundreds of millions of travelers around the world,” said Mr. Branavan.
