We have wonderful news! South African Tourism recently had a double triumph at the ‘2023 Telegraph Travel Awards’, walking away with the ‘Best Country’ destination award and Cape Town received the destination award for ‘Best City in the World’. South African’s hearts can swell with pride!
Sunny skies, breathtaking views, picturesque wine farms nestled in beautiful valleys, adorable penguins and the relaxed, yet stylish Capetonian lifestyle, were some of the attractions that encouraged some 27,000 people to vote for Cape Town as their favourite city, winning against cities such as Rome, Sydney, Dubrovnik, Kyoto, Rio de Janeiro and Florence.
The Top 10 winners in both categories are:
Top 10 Countries:
South Africa
New Zealand
Maldives
Japan
Australia
Italy
Kenya
India
Costa Rica
Botswana
Top 10 Cities:
Cape Town
Venice
Seville
Vancouver
Rome
Florence
Rio de Janeiro
Sydney
Kyoto
Dubrovnik
The Telegraph Travel unveiled the winners of the prestigious Readers’ Choice Awards for 2023 after a significant delay caused by the global pandemic. The long-awaited results reflect the opinions and experiences of their readers. Since the start of the awards in 1998, “Telegraph Travel has committed to providing an unbiased platform to showcase the keen insights and judgements of (its) readers. The 2023 edition marks another milestone in their continued journey of recognizing excellence in the travel industry.”
Cape Town is described by The Telegraph as “a remarkable city, gleaming at a continent’s edge with unfailingly beautiful in the hard ridge of Table Mountain, the gentle curve (and luxury resorts) of Camps Bay, and the scenic promise of the Cape Peninsula.” That Cape Town is a gateway to the wineries of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek helps make its case”.
We can add these recent accolades to the list of awards that the region has received. Chapmans Peak and our local Clarence Drive often make it to the list of top achievers. Clarence Drive has been voted one of the most scenic coastal drives in the World by the New York Times. Known locally as the R44 ‘Whale Route’ this drive begins in Gordon’s Bay.
Alderman James Vos and Cape Town Tourism (CTT) CEO Enver Duminy are certainly pleased with the result. Congratulations go to all those involved in achieving this outstanding result! CEO Enver Dimuny has been quoted as saying “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 this award will further bolster our tourism sector, which has seen a 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.”
Alderman James Vos said “Winning the award was the cherry on top after a major travel resurgence, and would help Cape Town build momentum for the months ahead” … and “Tourism is 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.” As stated in their article (link below), this is excellence that we as a nation can truly and joyously celebrate.
Residents and business owners of Gordon’s Bay can hope to ride the crest of this new wave of enthusiasm about our area.. Centrally located in the Western Cape, just 40 mins from Cape Town International Airport, we can look to serve as the location where visitors can easily sample the best the Cape has to offer, boosting our local tourism economy and as a result the rest of our town’s economy. This is a most welcome stimulus and much needed at this time after facing a global crisis. It is time to put our best beach-sand-covered foot forward. After all, we can boast about having two beautiful beaches … and marinas!
We welcome all locals and travellers to visit our newly renovated Tourism office and to see what we “äre up to” – from 7m scaffolds and mural painting to the new retail shop inside the Tourism office, we are excited to present a fresh new destination marketing space for us all. Speak to Juanita, Helen, Ansie and Taryn to find out the latest news and what to get up to in around Gordon’s Bay. We look forward to welcoming you to our ‘Gorgeous’ Bay being a beacon for destination marketing. Visit our website for more information https://gordonsbay.travel/ and see why we want to share “Öur little secret” with you.
Main websites related to this article:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph-travel-awards/
https://www.facebook.com/NationalDepartmentOfTourism
Links to other articles:
#WeDoTourism #SouthAfrica #CapeTown #bestintheworld #gordonsbaytourism #gordonsbay #tourism #travel #awards #telegraphtravelawards
Some of the main awards categories for the Telegraph Travel Readers’ Choice Awards for 2023 are:
Best country
Winner: South Africa
Second: New Zealand
Third: Maldives
Best worldwide city
Winner: Cape Town
Second: Vancouver
Third: Rio de Janeiro
Best European country
Winner: Italy
Second: Greece
Third: Norway
Best European city
Winner: Venice
Second: Seville
Third: Rome
Best long-haul airline
Winner: Emirates
Second: Qatar Airways
Third: Singapore Airlines
Best short-haul airline
Winner: Jet2.com
Second: Swiss
Third: Aurigny
Best Hotel Group
Winner: Ikos resorts
Second: Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
Third: Belmond
Best Villa Operator
Winner: Vintage Travel
Second: Simpson Travel
Third: Oliver’s Travels
Best Cottage Operator
Winner: Mr & Mrs Smith
Second: Unique Homestays
Third: Rural Retreats
Best Tour Operator
Winner: Audley
Second: Dialaflight
Third: Trailfinders
Best Specialist Tour Operator
Winner: McKinlay Kidd
Second: Inntravel
Third: Kenwood
Best Large-ship Ocean Cruise Lines
Winner: Celebrity
Second: Cunard
Third: Princess
Best Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines
Winner: Silversea
Second: Seabourn
Third: Hurtigruten