Instagram Travel Hotspots: These Cities Garner the Most ‘Likes’

Today, you don’t need to hop on a plane to explore exotic destinations; Instagram lets you travel the world with just a glance.

The number of ‘likes’ a location receives on Instagram is becoming an influential factor for travelers when choosing their next vacation spot, according to a report by travel platform Amadeus.

So, what can Instagram reveal about a destination? According to the airport transfer company hoppa, there’s a lot to learn.

Hoppa recently published a report detailing how the world’s most popular destinations are viewed on Instagram.

"We had quite a large team working on this. It took us just over a month to manually sift through 50,000 photos," says Daniel Boardman, hoppa’s Head of Search Engine Optimization.

His team examined the most ‘liked’ images and identified which types of posts received the most engagement in each location.

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The destinations that racked up the most ‘likes’ on Instagram, in order, are: Los Angeles, Bangkok, London, Taipei, and Miami.

Iconic cities like New York and Paris don't even make the top five.

This list is quite different from the most Instagrammed destinations, which are: New York, London, Paris, Dubai, and Los Angeles.

Boardman suggests this is likely due to the types of content being shared from those popular cities.

"Fashion posts tend to get a lot of likes, especially when featuring items like the [Yeezy Boost 350] Adidas shoes designed by Kanye West," he explains. "Many people posted pictures of these shoes with a beach backdrop, and those posts received tons of ‘likes.’"

Bright, colorful landscapes and food shots also had a high chance of racking up likes, he adds.

Destinations that offer a mix of all three types of photos were the most likely to receive a high number of likes.

London: The Selfie Capital

Selfies, naturally, are the cornerstone of Instagram.

According to the Amadeus report, a group of travelers called "social capital seekers" pick their holiday spots based on the best selfie opportunities they offer.

Surprisingly, London is the top spot for Instagram selfies.

"I was really surprised that London topped the selfie list," confesses Boardman. "I would have expected a place like Los Angeles to hold that title."

Boardman suggests that London’s iconic landmarks – from Big Ben to Buckingham Palace – could be a major reason for the city’s selfie dominance.

"Visitors to London seem to prefer pulling out their selfie sticks and snapping a photo with the landmarks, rather than just photographing the landmarks themselves," he says.

Other major selfie hotspots include Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Hong Kong: Where the environment speaks for itself

On the other hand, Hong Kong leads when it comes to posts showcasing scenery, without the selfies.

However, Boardman points out that scenic shots aren’t the most ‘liked’ content on Instagram.

"While Hong Kong ranks high in terms of ‘likes,’ it’s far from the top. Even though it’s filled with stunning landscapes, those kinds of photos aren’t the ones that go viral on Instagram," he explains.

Los Angeles: The City of Allure

What truly captures the attention of Instagram users, unsurprisingly, are provocative images. It turns out that most of these daring photos are taken in Los Angeles.

"Los Angeles offers beaches, bikinis, and a lot of selfies focused on showcasing certain body parts," says Boardman.

He adds that selfie sticks are perfect for capturing those provocative angles. No longer are bedroom selfies limited to the classic duckface pose.

Phuket: Where great food meets great photos

Instagram users, Boardman discovered, have a serious obsession with food photography.

Most of the mouth-watering food photos were posted from Phuket, Thailand.

"When it comes to food, most of the pictures came from Southeast Asia – those countries are home to some of the most visually appealing dishes," says Boardman.

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