Madeira Wins Europe's Leading Island Destination for the 12th Time
Madeira was voted Europe’s Leading Island Destination at the World Travel Awards on Saturday night, beating the Canary Islands, Malta, Sardinia and the Azores to the title for the twelfth time since 2013. The gala was held at Kotor in Montenegro, where Portugal took the headline award, Europe’s Leading Destination, on its way to 32 European prizes.
Twelve Island Titles in Fourteen Years
Madeira has now won Europe’s Leading Island Destination in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. That is twelve wins in fourteen years, with 2015 and 2022 the only gaps. It beat the Azores, the Canary Islands, Crete and the Cyclades, Cyprus, Guernsey and Jersey, Ibiza and Majorca, Malta, Sardinia and Sicily.
It is worth knowing what the title measures, because there is no jury behind it. The World Travel Awards are settled by an online vote open to industry professionals and the public, with a verified professional’s vote counting double and the category going to whoever gets the most. European voting closed on 28 August. It rewards destinations that can rally an industry behind them, which is not the same as a judged verdict on the place.
These awards bring prestige to the Region and to all the professionals who contribute to the development of tourism.
Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture
Kotor Hosted a World Travel Awards Ceremony for the First Time
The European ceremony ran on Saturday 17 October at the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort, on the bay below the walled town. The World Travel Awards have been running since 1993, and in those 33 years this was their first ceremony of any kind in Montenegro.
The hosts did well out of their own night. Kotor was named Europe’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination and Montenegro took Europe’s Leading Nature Destination, while Turkish Airlines won Europe’s Leading Airline and Athens the city break award.
Portugal Took 32 European Prizes, and Reid’s Palace the National Hotel Title
Portugal kept Europe’s Leading Destination and finished with 32 European awards. The Algarve won the beach category, Lisbon took both the city and the cruise titles, Porto the city cultural award, the Azores the regional adventure award, and Turismo de Portugal was named Europe’s Leading Tourist Board. Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira was named Portugal’s Leading Hotel in the national categories.
Madeira went in with four destination nominations and converted one. Porto Santo lost the beach category to the Algarve, the regional adventure award went to the Azores, and Cannes took festivals and events. The fifth nomination belonged to the Associação de Promoção da Madeira, Europe’s Leading Tourist Board in both 2024 and 2025; this year it went to Turismo de Portugal.
Three Madeira Nominations Go Forward to the World Final in December
The world edition is decided on 12 December in Tanzania, where Madeira is on the ballot three times: the island for World’s Leading Island Destination, Porto Santo for the world beach title, and the Associação de Promoção da Madeira for the world tourist board award. Madeira held the world island title for eleven years running, 2015 to 2025. Tripadvisor had already made the island its top trending destination in the world for 2026 back in January.
Twelve European titles in, the trophy cabinet is not the point. The island is the same one on a wet Tuesday in February, and that is why it keeps winning.
