Awards round-up: Who won what at the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards

Closeup side view of mid 60's couple enjoying a sailing cruise during  summer vacation at seaside.
Edited by Travel Weekly


    The winners of the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards were announced this week at what was likely an incredibly flash event somewhere in the United States.

    Travel + Leisure is one of the USA’s biggest travel media platforms, with an affluent audience of 9.9 million.

    Unfortunately, we weren’t invited. But that doesn’t mean we can’t tell you who won.

    Firstly, congratulations to Hobart which was recognised as one of the best cities in the world.

    It was voted the Best City in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

    in Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2023. Hobart was also voted in the top 25 of the best cities in the world.

    Sarah Clark, CEO of Tourism Tasmania is ready to welcome those from the United States following the news.

    “With Air New Zealand’s direct Auckland – Hobart flights providing seamless connections from the USA, we look forward to welcoming more North American travellers to Tasmania,” Clark said.

    This year, Hobart surpassed Sydney to claim the number-one spot in the awards.

    In 2022, Hobart moved from number four to number two in the best cities category, highlighting the growing strength in offerings and appeal for visitors to the island state capital.

    Travel + Leisure Readers’ 5 Favorite Cities in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific:

    1. Hobart, Australia
    2. Queenstown, New Zealand
    3. Sydney, Australia
    4. Melbourne, Australia
    5. Wellington, New Zealand

    The global list of the World’s Best Cities was topped by Oaxaca, Mexico. Followed by Udaipur in India, Kyoto in Japan, Ubud in Indonesia and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.

    Charleston, South Carolina was named as Reader’s Favourite City to Visit in the United States. Followed by Santa Fe, New Mexico; New Orleans, Louisiana; Savannah, Georgia and Chicago, Illinois

    Reader’s favourites:

    Hotel: Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet: Istanbul, Turkey
    International Airline: La Compagnie
    International Airport: Singapore Changi Airport: Singapore

    Mega-ship Ocean Cruise Line: Virgin Voyages
    Large-ship Ocean Cruise Line: Cunard
    Midsize-ship Ocean Cruise Line: Viking
    Small-ship Ocean Cruise Line: Viking
    Intimate-ship Ocean Cruise Line: Quasar Expeditions
    River Cruise Line: Aqua Expeditions

    Islands in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific:

    1. Great Barrier Reef Islands: Australia
    2. Fiji Islands
    3. Moorea: French Polynesia
    4. Bora-Bora: French Polynesia
    5. Tahiti: French Polynesia

    Islands in the World: Great Barrier Reef Islands, Australia
    International Destination Spas: The Ranch Italy at Palazzo Fiuggi: Fiuggi, Italy
    Tour Operators: ATJ

    Latest News

    • Aviation

    Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

    It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

    • Attractions

    SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

    AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

    • Cruise

    Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

    Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

    • Technology
    • Travel Agents

    Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

    Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]