Destination rankings, search results, and category ordering are never influenced by payment. Where a placement is sponsored — such as a featured listing — it is clearly labelled as sponsored and does not affect a destination's actual rating or organic ranking anywhere else on the site.
Every rating shown on the site is a live average of real reviews submitted by users through their own accounts. We do not add editorial scores on top of user ratings, and a destination with no reviews is shown as "New" rather than an invented number.
Destinations, photos, and corrections submitted through the contributor portal are reviewed by an editor or admin before publishing. Reviewers check for accuracy and basic quality, not for whether the content is flattering — factual criticism of a place (safety issues, overcrowding, poor upkeep) is welcome and will not be rejected for being negative.
If you find inaccurate information anywhere on the site, please submit a correction through the contributor portal or the contact page. We aim to review corrections quickly, particularly for anything safety-related.