It turns out that “happy holidays” isn’t just a term for the festive season! This summer, we know that happiness on our get-aways is key, and while some old-fashioned quality time with loved ones is a must, a trip to a spa or an exciting day trip and activity is always a good idea for a vacation dopamine boost.

When picking your holiday destination, crime and safety levels are also important factors to consider. The lower the crime rate is for a destination, the more at ease you will feel; therefore, you’ll have a happier holiday! Spoiler alert: if it is safety you are looking for, Dubai sat on top with a rating of 83 out of 100 in our Index.

But, don’t worry, we believe happiness should start from the holiday search. We have compiled a list of the world's happiest holiday destinations ranked on a happiness scale of 0-100, based on a number of different factors, so you can have the happiest holiday hunt too!

The world's happiest holiday destinations in 2022

We’ve revealed the world’s happiest holiday destinations for 2022, and our research found that Bali, was the most popular destination for those in search of a happy, stress free getaway. Bali came out on top due to the incredible spa and wellness centres it has to offer and amazing outdoor activities – perfect for those looking for both relaxation and adventure on their holiday.
Following Bali; Las Vegas, New Orleans, Barcelona, and Amsterdam ranked as the top 5, with each offering a unique experience for tourists - making happiness a top priority. With over 40 outdoor activities, Las Vegas is the place to be if it’s an adventure you're after. This city also has a high safety score so you can feel at ease while exploring all Las Vegas has to offer. New Orleans and Barcelona were great options for those in search of an LGBTQ+ friendly destination, both scoring the maximum LGBTQ+ rank - so you will be as happy as can be on your holiday!
When searching for the holiday destination that will make you the happiest, Europe is a great option, with 2 destinations ranking in the top 5. Amsterdam in particular had the highest safety score of our top 5 destinations, however, they did have the most expensive pint- so if it is Dutch courage you’re after, this could cost you an average of £5.05 per draught.

Europe's happiest holiday destinations in 2022

If it’s happiness you want, Europe is a clear favourite, so we’ve revealed Europe’s happiest holiday destinations for 2022. Between iconic cities and beautiful beaches, Europe has so much diversity to choose from to create the happiest holiday for you and the whole family.
Beach town, Barcelona came out on top with an overall happiness score of 21 out of 100. As well as Barcelona; Amsterdam, Budapest, Porto and Marseille ranked in the top 5 happiest destinations. Our second happiest European destination, Amsterdam, proved to have the lowest crime rate of our top 5 with a crime rating of 33.6 out of 100 and Budapest is where you’ll find the cheapest pint in Europe, at only £1.49, helping to reduce your overall holiday cost.
Rounding off the top 5 happiest destinations in Europe, Porto has the highest number of day trips, with 25 to keep you entertained, and for those searching for LGBTQ+ friendliness, Marseille has the maximum LGBTQ+ friendly score.

North America's happiest holiday destinations in 2022

As well as Europe, we have revealed North America’s happiest holiday destinations for 2022, and from our research, we found that the ‘Sin City’ - Las Vegas, was the most popular destination for vacationers in search of a USA happy getaway, with an overall happiness score of 27.6!
Las Vegas had the edge thanks to a wide range of daytime activities, perfect for visitors planning to make the most of their stay! As well as Las Vegas; New Orleans, Vancouver, San Francisco, and Washington ranked as the top 5 destinations. New Orleans was a close second with a happiness score of 26.8 out of 100, Vancouver, scored 23.2, San Francisco scored 22.5 and Washington scored 21.2, respectively. All of these beautiful destinations have so much to offer, with a range of day trips and spa and wellness centres, we can certainly understand why these destinations made the list.

Summary

Whether you’re joining the happiest holiday destination in Bali, or Barcelona - Europe's happiest holiday destination in 2023 - or even in search of the cheapest pint in Budapest, the right holiday is out there for you and the whole family to enjoy.

With the world's happiest holiday destinations at your fingertips, you’re bound to have a stress free holiday search and enjoy a relaxing or adventurous holiday to your liking. So, start looking for your best holiday destination now and factor in all the must haves for everyone to enjoy, from activities to a nice cheap pint for the happiest get away.

Club Med is here to help make your holiday happiness a reality, whether you're celebrating an anniversary with your partner or just taking a nice family summer holiday, our all-inclusive resorts offer fun for all the family, ensuring you have a happy holiday.

Methodology

Multiple sources were used to find out which city in the world is the happiest for a holiday, after compiling data on the 50 most visited tourist destinations globally. Numbeo data was collected on pollution, crime and the cost of beer, tripadvisor was scraped for the number of outdoor activities, day trips and spas and wellness centres in each city per 100,000 people. Nomadlist was also used to find the overall happiness of individual cities and LGBTQ+ friendliness.

We collected data on each destination by these 9 metrics;
- Crime Index
- Safety Index
- Pollution Index
- Cost of Domestics beer 0.5L draught (in a restaurant) in £
- Number of outdoor activities by 100,000 population
- Number of day trips by 100,000 population
- Number of spas & wellness centres by 100,000 population
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Happiness score

This is then wrapped with a final average score of each metric to determine the happiest destination to the least.

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