For the seventh year running Cape Town has been voted the best city in the world by more than 39 000 readers of The Telegraph who took part in the 2019 Telegraph Travel Awards.
Cape Town has been described as “a coastal gem, lying in the shadow of a cloud-hugged mountain” where “wine flows, penguins waddle and – not too far away – majestic beasts roam”.
The Mother City has retained its position despite major shifts in the top 20, such as Kyoto, a brand new entrant, ranking third.
What makes Cape Town the world’s most desirable city?
Geography, weather, Cape Point, Bo-Kaap, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, and Table Mountain were some of the city’s highlights that were featured.
Cape Town managed to retain its top position despite the recent water crisis not having been forgotten, noted Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, including Tourism, James Vos.
“We retained this position as the best city in the world despite The Telegraph also noting our ‘earnest notes to flush only when absolutely necessary’. While perhaps a bit of a tongue-in-cheek comment on their part, it is a reminder of the major challenges the City and our tourism sector faced. It is also a reminder of how Capetonians acted together to save water and avert the taps running dry. While we are still in recovery mode, it is encouraging that we have retained our top position despite other major shifts in the rankings. This is something we can be proud of.”
MMC Vos added: “The priority for my team and I is to diversify tourism products so more people can benefit from the millions of visitors we have every year. Combined with promoting the already impressive sites and attractions we have in Cape Town, I intend to make tourism a game-changer for our city.”
CEO of Cape Town Tourism Enver Duminy says, “Being voted the world’s best city for yet another year underscores Cape Town’s fantastic tourism offerings and that we remain an unparalleled destination and one whose multiple tourism initiatives have ensured that we can continue to attract visitors from all over the globe. We would like to acknowledge and thank our member products and experiences on delivering on and exceeding the expectations of visitors and locals alike without fail. As high-season approaches lets ensure that everyone experiences world-class tourism in and around Cape Town.”
The 2019 Telegraph Travel Awards list of 20 best cities in the world:
- Cape Town
- Vancouver
- Kyoto
- Sydney
- St Petersburg
- Singapore
- Venice
- Luang Prabang
- Seville
- New Orleans
- Havana
- New York
- Bagen
- Florence
- Istanbul
- Rome
- Dubrovnik
- Tokyo
- Krakow
- Buenos Aires
Source credit: capetown.travel