Cape Town has just been voted the Greatest City on Earth in the 2023 Telegraph Travel Awards – the city has been in the running for eight years now, consistently making the podium. In addition, South Africa was named the world’s best country to travel to. Dethroning New Zealand, which took the top title last year, the nation has been lauded for its sensational scenery and attractions.
Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, says the city’s official destination marketing and destination management organisation (DMO) is delighted with the accolade, “We have worked tirelessly to share our city’s incredible wealth of attractions with the world. We know we live in the greatest city on Earth and it’s hugely exciting to have others recognise this as well. We are certain that this award will further bolster our tourism sector, which has seen strong recovery post the pandemic. We look forward to welcoming more people to our shores. The world’s most wonderful city is waiting for you.”
Duminy says that Cape Town Tourism has run a series of inspirational immersive experiences to boost the city’s profile, including the hugely successful Find Your Freedom choice-driven initiative. This offered a ‘choose your own adventure’, first-of-its-kind, gamified experience to overseas target markets, with stunning results. The DMO is also working hard to ensure that Cape Town is maximally inclusive, with its latest ‘Limitless Cape Town’ movement doing pioneering work to make the city more accessible to all visitors, regardless of your abilities.
Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth at the City of Cape Town adds, “This win is an acknowledgement of the efforts of the City and our partners to put Cape Town’s experiences, cultures and communities on the map and to make sure that we maintain global relevance and appeal that stands out above other destinations. Winning this award is the cherry on top after a major resurgence in travellers and will help us to build momentum for the months ahead. Well done to every single person who helped bring us to this moment, from the staff at our award-winning Cape Town International Airport, to the concierges at our many beautiful hotels, guesthouse owners, restaurant waitrons and friendly teams at our many attractions. They have all made this possible. These awards serve to acknowledge and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. Locals and visitors have long known that Cape Town is a triple-A-rated city, which in this instance refers to accommodation, attractions and aviation, signalling the strength of our destination value. Tourism a top priority sector, because through clever campaigns and city to city agreements, we land more flights and attract more visitors, which benefits businesses through increased bookings and spending, and creates jobs for locals.”
Runners up to the ‘Greatest City’ title were Venice in second place, followed by Seville.
Runners up to the top country title were New Zealand, with the Maldives in third podium position.
Duminy concludes, “Cape Town is a remarkable place to visit and to live, with a warmth that makes all visitors come back year after year. We hope to amplify this radical inclusivity to ensure all visitors have the greatest experience and build the best memories in the world’s greatest city.”
Provided by Cape Town Tourism
