Cape Town has achieved yet another tourism accolade, being voted the Favourite City Worldwide for 2012 in the Telegraph Travel Awards, ahead of Vancouver and New York.
South Africa was also named as the Third Favourite Country worldwide, after New Zealand and the Maldives.
The British newspaper holds an annual poll of its readers to determine their favourite city, country, travel website and travel app. Over 17 000 Telegraph readers voted in the poll.
“What makes this win so special is that, not only have readers voted for Cape Town as number one, but that this is being shouted from the rooftops by one the UK’s most widely-read daily newspaper,” said Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold.
“The UK market has an on-going love affair with Cape Town. British Airways confirm that Cape Town is one of their top ten global routes and the airline just increased its service to Cape Town to two flights a day for summer – our peak UK tourism season. The loyal UK market has high spending capacity and still holds much potential for us to nurture and cater to.
“Much of the interest in Cape Town is aspirational, people have heard about Cape Town and want to see it for themselves.”
Cape Town was recently named second-best city in the world and best city in Africa in the annual Readers’ Choice awards by US-based Condé Nast Traveller.
Other accolades Cape Town has achieved recently include Best Destination in Africa at the World Travel Awards 2011; Best Destination in the World at the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards 2011; The World’s Top City in Africa and the Middle East at the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2012; Fourth Top City in the World, Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2012; 23rd: Top 25 Destinations in the World, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2012; 8th: Top 10 Beach Destinations in Africa, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2012; Best Beach Destination in Africa, World Travel Awards 2012; and One of the World’s Ten Most Loved Cities 2012, CNNgo.
Cape Town was named World Design Capital 2014 and Table Mountain was also named a New7Wonder of Nature. The official inauguration will take place on Saturday, 1 December 2012. Delegates from the other six sites will be amongst the dignitaries attending. The public inauguration will take place at the free festive lights concert on the Grand Parade on Sunday, 2 December 2012.
