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

    • Products

    Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun

    If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]

    • Tour Operators
    • Tourism

    TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

    The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

    • Aviation

    Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

    Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

    • Hotels

    Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

    Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

    • Luxury
    • News

    Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

    Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]