Travel + Leisure ranks Charleston Top City in U.S. & Canada For 5th Consecutive Year

BY THE TRAVEL + LEISURE 2017 WORLD’S BEST AWARDS

Courtesy of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

For the fifth consecutive year, the readers of Travel + Leisure ranked the Charleston area the No. 1 City in the U.S. and Canada. The news was shared by Jacqui Gifford, Senior Editor of Travel + Leisure, on the TODAY Show on July 11.

Charleston exceeded other destinations in the categories of sights/landmarks, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people/friendliness, shopping and value to earn the No. 1 City in the U.S. and Canada designation. The complete results of the 2017 World’s Best Awards Survey are featured on TravelandLeisure.com/WorldsBest and in the August issue of the magazine, on newsstands July 11.

Travel + Leisure Editor Nathan Lump said, “It’s no surprise that Travel + Leisure readers have once again rated Charleston the best city in the United States. Although small in size, it’s the complete package: a rich history and cultural life, some of the country’s most interesting food and drink and shopping, excellent hotels, and of course, locals who demonstrate the meaning of a warm welcome.”

The No. 1 rankings continue to positively impact tourism, the number one economic driver to the Charleston area. Since 2012, the first year Charleston was awarded the No. 1 City in the U.S. and Canada ranking in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards, the total economic impact of tourism is $4.2 billion according to a study in 2016 by the Office of Tourism Analysis at the College of Charleston.

Linn Lesesne, Chairman of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and Vice President of Public Relations and Group Sales for Charming Inns of Charleston remarked, “Winning this prestigious award for five consecutive years is validation by the well-traveled readers of Travel + Leisure of Charleston’s enduring appeal.” Lesesne added, “while humbling, it is an incentive for the Charleston area to continue to strive for excellence.”

Please help us congratulate the following Charleston area hotels recognized in Travel + Leisure’s World Best Awards.

  • The Vendue Hotel
  • Zero George
  • The Spectator
  • French Quarter Inn
  • Wentworth Mansion

Travel + Leisure readers voted on their favorite hotels, cities, islands, spas, cruise lines, airlines, tour outfitters, and car-rental agencies. The 2017 World’s Best Awards readers’ survey results (listed by overall and regional rankings) and survey methodology are featured in the August issue of Travel + Leisure magazine, online at: www.TravelandLeisure.com/WorldsBest, and in the World’s Best Awards 2017.