Booking.com Holds Award Ceremony for 'Traveller Review Awards 2026' in Oita Prefecture's Beppu City, Selected as 'Most Comfortable City in Japan' for 4 Consecutive Years

[July 16, 2026]

Booking.com, a leading digital travel platform offering a wide range of accommodations, travel experiences, flights, and rental cars with the corporate philosophy of 'giving everyone the freedom to experience the world more closely,' held an award ceremony on July 7, 2026 (Tuesday) at the Yufuin Rack Hall to celebrate Oita Prefecture's Beppu City being selected as one of the 'Most Comfortable Cities in Japan' in the 14th 'Traveller Review Awards'*.

This award recognizes our partners, including accommodations and car rental companies that consistently provide excellent hospitality, based on over 370 million reliable reviews from travelers around the world. The 'Most Comfortable Cities in Japan' list is selected based on the percentage of accommodations that won the 'Traveller Review Award' in 2026, and Beppu City has been selected for four consecutive years as one of the 'Most Comfortable Cities in Japan'.

The award ceremony was attended by Luiz Rodrigues (Luis Rodrigues), Representative Director of Booking.com Japan, Beppu City Mayor Sumao Sumao, Chairman of the Yufuin Onsen Ryokan Association Kiichi Tomonaga, Chairman of the Yufuin Onsen Tourism Association Shinji Ota, and Representative Director Yo Maeda of Shin Nihon Hotels Co., Ltd., a lodging business operator in Beppu City, who made announcements regarding the significance of the award and the future of regional tourism.

2026's 'Most Comfortable Cities in Japan' Top 10

●Takayama City (Gifu Prefecture)

●Beppu City (Oita Prefecture)

●Yakushima (Kagoshima Prefecture)

●Amami City (Kagoshima Prefecture)

●Yomitan Village (Okinawa Prefecture)

●Nozawa Onsen Village (Nagano Prefecture)

●Fujiyoshida City (Yamanashi Prefecture)

●Chatan Town (Okinawa Prefecture)

●Fujikawaguchiko Town (Yamanashi Prefecture)

●Niseko Town (Hokkaido Prefecture)

In 2026's 'Most Comfortable Cities in Japan' Top 10, many regional cities, including Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture, which was also selected as one of the 'Most Comfortable Cities in the World' this year, were listed. Many of the selected cities are not conventional major tourist destinations but are local hot spring resorts or nature-rich areas, indicating a growing interest among domestic and international travelers for travel styles that seek authentic experiences and encounters with the local community. Yakushima and Amami in Kagoshima Prefecture, which are registered as World Natural Heritage Sites, and Nozawa Onsen Village in Nagano Prefecture and Beppu City in Oita Prefecture, which are among Japan's top hot spring resorts, were also selected this year, following last year.

According to Booking.com's search data (check-in planned from July 1, 2026 to October 31, 2026), while Taiwan and Korea are at the top, there is also an increase in travelers from diverse countries and regions, including the United States, Hong Kong, and Singapore. This search data suggests that interest in Beppu City is steadily growing not only in the nearby Asian market but also in the long-distance market, including Europe and the United States.

Speeches by the speakers

Luiz Rodrigues, Representative Director of Booking.com Japan

"Our 'Traveller Review Awards' are not marketing strategies by experts but awards based on the 'real voices' received from travelers around the world. What is noteworthy about this year's awards is that many of the selected cities are not the so-called Golden Route, such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, but are local tourist destinations. Travelers are now seeking authentic experiences and encounters with locals, and Beppu City is exactly meeting these expectations. While technology and AI have the power to bring travelers to their destinations, it is the hospitality cultivated by the region that makes their stay special and leads to repeat visits."

Mayor Sumao Sumao of Beppu City

"We are greatly honored that Beppu City has been selected as one of the 'Most Comfortable Cities in Japan' for four consecutive years. This is the result of the daily hospitality of the inn operators and the efforts of the public and private sectors to enhance the appeal of the region. Beppu City has been promoting the creation of a cyclical tourism destination with the pillar of tourism being 'good to live in and good to visit.' In the future, we will continue to cherish the harmony between regional life and tourism and strive to create a high-quality, sustainable tourism destination."

Kiichi Tomonaga, Chairman of the Yufuin Onsen Ryokan Association

"Yufuin does not have a 'tourism highlight' like a castle, shrine, or theme park. However, we believe that this 'nothingness' is our greatest strength. The lifestyle culture cultivated by the people living here is the origin of tourism that attracts travelers. What we aim for is not a tourist destination that provides an extraordinary experience but a resort hot spring area where you can experience the 'ideal daily life' that is quiet, beautiful in nature, and warm with people. We would like to once again demonstrate the power of hospitality that ryokan have, which directly interact with guests."

Shinji Ota, Chairman of the Yufuin Onsen Tourism Association

"We also think of Yufuin not as a 'tourist destination' but as a place where guests and the region are connected like relatives. While we are very pleased with this year's award, challenges have also become apparent as the number of travelers increases. Under the philosophy that the most livable town is the best tourist destination, the tourism association has set five promises under the 'Yufuin Standard': providing authenticity, preserving the scenery and tranquility, harmonizing with the surroundings, creating a town where you can stay safely, and passing it on to future generations. We will promote the creation of a region that continues to be chosen while sharing the concepts of sustainable tourism and responsible tourism with travelers."

Yo Maeda, Representative Director of Shin Nihon Hotels Co., Ltd.

"As a representative of lodging business operators, we are very pleased to have received this prestigious 'Traveller Review Awards 2026' award. We started our business in Yufuin 17 years ago, but we were taught that 'if we are to bear the name of Yufuin, we have a responsibility to protect the history and values that the region has built,' and we still cherish those words. To our guests, both old and new facilities are the same 'Yufuin ryokan.' Therefore, we believe that considerations for buildings and scenery, cuisine, and hospitality, one by one, lead to experiences that exceed guests' expectations, which in turn lead to high evaluations and reviews. This year's award is the result of the entire region continuing to protect the value of Yufuin, not just our single facility."

*Conditions for winning the 'Traveller Review Awards 2026'

●Accommodations: As of November 30, 2025, 23:59 (Central European Time), an average review score of 8.0 or higher (out of 10) based on 3 or more reviews

●Car rental companies: As of November 30, 2025, 23:59 (Central European Time), an average review score of 8.0 or higher (out of 10) based on 10 or more reviews

●Taxi companies: As of November 30, 2025, 23:59 (Central European Time), completion of 2,000 rides and an average review score of 4.6 or higher (out of 5)

Only users who have actually booked accommodations on our platform, rented cars, or taken taxis can post reviews of their utilization experience on Booking.com. Reviews may not be edited or adjusted in any way.