The top 20 most popular locations to propose in the world have been revealed, with Paris, France taking the top spot, followed closely by Las Vegas, USA, and Rome, Italy.
After analysing Google search results, hundreds of millions of social media posts by location and hashtag, as well as other data points, Remitly, who specialise in helping people send money abroad, has revealed the top 20 most popular worldwide locations to propose.
London places just outside the top five, sitting in joint seventh place, with many notable proposal hot spots such as The Shard, Tower Bridge, and The London Eye. Edinburgh sits in 16th place, with most of the proposals taking place at Edinburgh Castle.
In Europe, there are also many popular locations only a short flight away from the United Kingdom, which includes Rome, Santorini, Venice, Florence, Barcelona, Madrid and Dubrovnik.
Through this campaign, Remitly aims to inspire individuals across the globe to embark on their love stories in these extraordinary worldwide locations which include Bali, Florida, Sydney, Cape Town, and more.
According to Remitly’s research, the top five locations for proposals are:
- Paris, France: The City of Love needs no introduction. From the Eiffel Tower to the charming streets of Montmartre, Paris exudes romance at every corner. Remitly data revealed that there were 49.7k successful proposals in Paris, with partners saying ‘yes’ against a selection of quintessential Parisian backdrops.
- Las Vegas, USA: Commonly nicknamed ‘Sin City’, Las Vegas ranks in second place in the leaderboard for the most popular places in the world to propose, with 18.7k people saying ‘yes’. Las Vegas is a tourist hot spot, with 38.8 million people visiting the city in 2022 alone, so it’s no surprise that it’s also a popular destination for proposing.
- Rome, Italy: In third place is Rome, which is home to a history that spans millennia and a rich culture that attracts millions of tourists each year. With over 29 million hashtags on Instagram, it’s little surprise that Rome is a popular location for proposing. In fact, more than one in 400 Instagram posts with the hashtag ‘#Rome’ is a proposal!
- New York, USA: New York is a fantastic place to propose due to its iconic locations like Central Park, Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Empire State Building, which provide beautiful backdrops. The city’s diverse atmosphere offers something for every couple, whether it’s a rooftop dinner, a romantic walk along the High Line, or a boat ride in Central Park.
- Santorini, Greece: Santorini in Greece is a popular choice for those looking to propose surrounded by attractive scenery, from the multicoloured cliffs to the contrast of the whitewashed buildings against the azure Aegean Sea. It’s hardly surprising that Santorini ranked fourth in the most popular places to propose with its romantic sunsets and volcanic-sand beaches. Our data revealed that more than one in 200 Instagram posts featuring Santorini is a proposal.
From picturesque cities such as Florence and Madrid to breathtaking natural wonders like The Grand Canyon and Yosemite, Remitly’s full list showcases destinations guaranteed to create unforgettable moments for couples ready to take the leap.
The research also ranked which continents are the most popular places to pop the big question.
| Rank | Continent |
| 1 | Europe |
| 2 | North America |
| 3 | Asia |
| 4 | Australia & Oceania |
| 5 | Africa |
Ranking in first place is Europe, which has more #engaged location posts on Instagram than every other continent put together!
North America comes in behind Europe with home to five of the top 20 most popular places to propose. North America offers a range of beautiful locations to make your special moment one to remember. One particular destination often posted on Instagram is Yosemite, California, with over one in 126 posts featuring a proposal.
Following behind in third place is Asia, the most populous continent in the world accounting for nearly 59.5% of the world population. Asia is home to Bali, the ninth most popular place to propose, which is more commonly known as the ‘Island of the Gods’ – a fitting nickname for such a breathtaking location. Bali provides the perfect setting for couples to begin their journey of eternal love, with over 5,020 people posting images of their engagement.
A spokesperson for Remitly, who specialise in helping people send money abroad, said: “As a company dedicated to connecting people and cultures, we believe in celebrating love and creating unforgettable moments.
“We hope that this campaign sparks inspiration and encourages couples to express their love in these breathtaking destinations.”
To explore the “Most Popular Places to Propose” campaign and discover the perfect setting for your special moment, visit https://www.remitly.com/us/en/landing/most-popular-places-to-propose.
Methodology:
Remitly analysed the first five pages of Google search results for “Best place to propose” and “Most popular place to propose” to determine the most popular locations. We then collated the total number of Instagram posts containing hashtags with the location and ‘engaged’. Finally, we searched for these hashtags in Google Search and counted the number of social media results using the aforementioned hashtags within each location. The hashtags used includes: #hesaidyes, #shesaidyes, #isaidyes and #theysaidyes. Specifically, we searched for these hashtags in Google Search and counted the number of search results using the aforementioned hashtags within each location in the list. This included social media sites only (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest for example).
From this data, Remitly has statistically ranked the top 20 most popular places in the world to propose using a combined score according to each destination’s ranking across these data points.
