In its annual European travel survey of 1000 US travellers, the global travel site found that 51 per cent of respondents will be visiting Europe in 2011, compared to 42 per cent last year.
The top five European cities that US travellers plan to visit are: London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Amsterdam.
“London claims the crown as the top European destination US travellers plan to visit this year, said TripAdvisor. “However, it appears the throngs are not being enticed to the British capital by the upcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton – just 4 per cent of respondents say that next month's Royal wedding has increased their interest in traveling to the UK.”
An autumn visit was the most popular pick of the majority of travellers, with 53 per cent of survey respondents saying they planned to visit Europe in September or October this year.
Top-rated London hotels
The top-rated London hotels currently highlighted on TripAdvisor, as voted for by users, are:
- The Milestone Hotel, Kensington
- Hotel 41, Buckingham Palace Road
- Egerton House Hotel, Knightsbridge
- The Levin, Knightsbridge
- Sofitel St James London, Waterloo Place
Food
"American travellers have an enduring love affair with Europe, and there are certainly no signs of this changing in 2011. With such a rich history and a wealth of unique cultures, cuisines and attractions, many US travellers appear eager to enjoy trans-Atlantic trips this year," said Karen Drake, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor.
Almost half (48 per cent) of American travellers to Europe look forward to the culture during their visit, while the attractions (17 per cent) and the food (11 per cent) are also in their top three list.