Travel anxiety these days often has less to do with lost luggage or jet lag than with a quieter question: will people actually be glad you showed up? For American travelers, that question carries a little extra weight given how global opinions of the United States have shifted over the past decade. Still, plenty of destinations continue to greet U.S. visitors with genuine enthusiasm, backed by favorability polling, tourism data, and firsthand accounts from travelers who have actually gone there.
The countries on this list were not chosen because they are the most beautiful or the cheapest, though many happen to be both. They made the cut because locals, government surveys, and independent researchers consistently describe Americans as welcomed rather than merely tolerated. From Lisbon’s old neighborhoods to Seoul’s night markets, here are nine places where the warmth toward American visitors shows up in both the numbers and the everyday interactions.
1. Portugal
Portugal has quietly become one of the most talked-about destinations for Americans, and the travel figures back up the buzz. Portugal is a top choice for American travelers, welcoming over a million U.S. visitors in just the first half of the year. That is not a small number for a country of roughly ten million people, and it has not come at the cost of the kind of warmth that makes a trip memorable.
Beyond the visitor numbers, Portugal keeps showing up near the top of safety and quality-of-life rankings. Portugal is among Europe’s safest countries, ranked 7th on the Global Peace Index, with a strong community feel in smaller towns. The Portuguese people are known for their friendliness and warmth, with many speaking at least rudimentary English, especially in the more populated areas. That combination of safety, English familiarity, and unhurried hospitality is exactly why so many American retirees and remote workers end up choosing Lisbon or Porto over flashier European capitals.
2. Ireland
Few countries lean into an American connection quite like Ireland does. Ireland shows up on almost every list of countries that adore American visitors, and the numbers back up the reputation. By May 2024, American tourists accounted for roughly one in five of all foreign visitors to Ireland, a staggering share for a single source country that speaks to the depth of the relationship.
What makes this especially notable is that the appeal is not simply about geography. That is not a fluke of geography or convenience, since Ireland is not exactly on the way to anywhere else for most American travelers. The bond runs through shared history and the millions of Irish-Americans who trace their roots back to the island, and spending on Irish soil reflects it too, since US and Canadian tourists spent six billion euros in Ireland during 2024, while making up one-quarter of the six million people who traveled there.
3. Poland
Poland rarely gets the same spotlight as Western Europe, but Pew Research data suggests Americans should pay closer attention. Some of the strongest positive opinions come from Poland (93%), Israel (87%), South Korea (79%), Nigeria (74%), and Japan (73%). That figure makes Poland the single most pro-American country tracked in recent surveys, and it is not just an abstract statistic.
Travelers who actually visit tend to notice it on the ground. American travelers consistently report feeling genuinely welcomed in Polish cities like Krakow, Warsaw, and Gdansk, where Poles are perceived as very friendly, open-minded, and supportive. Tourism growth backs this up in a big way, since nearly 59 million tourists stayed in Polish accommodation facilities in 2025, with foreign arrivals reaching 15.2 million, making Poland one of the fastest-growing destinations in Europe.
4. Mexico
Proximity plays a role in Mexico’s warmth toward Americans, but it is far from the whole story. Mexico’s proximity to the United States means locals are very familiar with American culture and visitors, and families take pride in sharing their traditions, with warmth extending far beyond tourist areas into small villages and hidden beaches. That familiarity flows in both directions, since many Mexicans have worked in or visited the States, creating natural connections with American travelers.
The scale of travel between the two countries is genuinely enormous. The scale of tourism and relocation there is enormous, with Mexico welcoming a record 47.4 million international visitors in the first half of 2025. Favorable opinion polling lines up with that traffic too, as favorable views of the U.S. run strong in Mexico as well, with 63% of respondents holding a positive opinion.
5. Japan
Japan might not be the first country that comes to mind when people picture an easy, laid-back welcome, given the language barrier and unfamiliar customs. Yet the numbers tell a very different story. In March 2025, Japan saw a record-breaking surge in tourism, with over three million foreign visitors, driven by strong arrivals from the U.S., marking the fastest pace of growth in Japan’s tourism in recent memory.
That growth is not happening by accident. That growth suggests the welcome Americans receive is resonating widely enough to keep bringing people back. Favorability data supports the anecdotal warmth as well, with Japan having a favorability ranking of 73% for Americans, and the Japanese being known for being kind and patient towards American visitors.
6. South Korea
South Korea has climbed steadily in surveys measuring attitudes toward American visitors, and it now sits among the most pro-American countries on the planet. South Korea’s favorability toward Americans has been climbing steadily, following Poland and Israel in Pew’s survey, with a 79% favorable view of the U.S. That kind of consistent goodwill is not just political sentiment measured in a boardroom somewhere.
It plays out in daily life for travelers navigating Seoul’s neighborhoods and markets. That kind of consistent goodwill isn’t just political sentiment, it shows up in how everyday Koreans treat American tourists navigating Seoul’s markets, temples, and neighborhoods. Affordability adds another layer of appeal, since South Korea is one of the destinations where US citizens can visit countries that welcome American tourists, like Italy, Hungary, and South Korea, for under $1,500, receiving warm hospitality.
7. Italy
Italy has a well-earned reputation for embracing visitors with open arms, and recent survey work confirms it is not just a stereotype. A new survey from Upgraded Points found Belgium and Italy topped the friendly list, with just 1.9% of Belgian respondents and 2% of Italians saying their countries are unwelcoming to Americans. Few numbers illustrate a country’s hospitality quite as directly as that.
Beyond the survey data, travelers frequently describe a similar feeling once they arrive. Italian warmth toward Americans creates an atmosphere where visitors feel like honored guests rather than mere tourists. Whether it is a shopkeeper in Rome or a family running a trattoria in Florence, that sense of being genuinely welcomed rather than simply served tends to be one of the most repeated impressions among American visitors to Italy.
8. Vietnam
Given the difficult shared history between the two nations, many travelers are caught off guard by how warmly Vietnam treats American visitors today. Given the complicated shared history between the two nations, Vietnam’s warmth toward American travelers often catches visitors off guard, with younger generations focusing on the future and eager to practice English and learn about American culture.
Survey data reinforces what travelers report anecdotally. There is strong support for American tourists in Vietnam, with roughly eight in ten of those surveyed by Pew Research positively inclined toward Americans. The Vietnamese are described as incredibly forgiving and welcoming, making this Southeast Asian destination one of the most American-friendly places on earth. For American travelers who arrive expecting tension, the openness they actually encounter tends to leave a lasting impression.
9. Canada
Canada rarely tops flashy friendliness rankings, mostly because it feels too familiar to count as an adventure. Even so, it remains one of the most consistently comfortable destinations for American travelers. Canada is one of the easiest and most comfortable countries for American people to travel to. Shared language, similar customs, and decades of cross-border travel have made the experience nearly seamless for most U.S. visitors.
That ease extends well beyond simple convenience. Canada is arguably the easiest country to move from the US, being the ninth-largest economy in the world and a country that is very welcoming to American visitors and expats alike. Whether it is exploring Vancouver’s waterfront, wandering Quebec City’s old streets, or road-tripping through the Rockies, Canada offers a version of friendliness that feels less like a tourism campaign and more like visiting a close neighbor.
What Ties These Destinations Together
Looking across these nine countries, a few common threads emerge. Strong historical ties, as seen with Ireland and Vietnam, tend to produce deeper goodwill than geography alone. Meanwhile, countries investing heavily in tourism infrastructure, like Portugal and Poland, often see friendliness and visitor growth rise together, since welcoming attitudes and booming arrival numbers tend to reinforce each other.
It is also worth remembering that a report by the Pew Research Center found the share of the global public that has a favorable view of the United States is on the decline, with a global median of about 59% of people across surveyed countries holding a favorable view of the United States as of 2023. Against that broader backdrop, the countries above stand out precisely because they buck the trend rather than follow it.
Final Thoughts
Friendliness abroad is never guaranteed and always depends partly on the individual traveler, the town, and even the day. Still, when tourism boards, favorability polls, and countless traveler accounts all point in the same direction, it is fair to call these nine countries genuinely welcoming rather than just polite by default.
For Americans planning their next trip, choosing a destination where the welcome feels real rather than performed can shape the entire experience. Sometimes the warmest greetings come from the places you least expect, and that is exactly what makes traveling worth the effort in the first place.
