San Francisco voted #1 U.S. City by Conde Nast Traveler readers for 16th consecutive year
By: admin
San Francisco received the highest score of any city in the United States in Condé Nast Traveler’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. This year’s win marks the 16th consecutive year that San Francisco has won this category in the magazine’s annual survey, a feat never before accomplished by any destination or property.
More than 32,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers participated in the 2008 Readers’ Choice Survey. Each city was rated on a five-point scale (excellent, very good, good, fair, poor) on the following criteria: atmosphere/ambience; culture/sites; friendliness; lodging; restaurants; and shopping. San Francisco received a top score of 85.2, followed by Charleston (82.9), New York City (81.6), Santa Fe (81.5) and Chicago (81). In addition, San Francisco received the highest score in the world in the restaurant category, capturing 93.1 points (out of a possible 100).
“The recognition of San Francisco as the top travel destination among U.S.cities for the 16th consecutive year is an exceptional honor and achievement,” said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. “San Francisco continues to capture the hearts of the many tourists who visit each year. We take pride in our culturally diverse communities, scenic beauty, world-class shopping and dining venues and our vibrant entertainment scene. It is for these reasons, tourists come back year after year, and consider our city a top travel destination.”
“We are extremely honored to be named the best city in America by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler,” added Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to welcoming back visitors year after year and continuing to provide ‘only in San Francisco’ experiences and memories.”
“These awards celebrate the destinations, lodgings, and modes of transportation that manage to exceed our expectations,” said Condé Nast Traveler Editor in Chief Klara Glowczewska. “The Readers’ Choice Awards are a credit to the worldly expertise of Condé Nast Traveler readers—passionate travelers for whom no island is too remote, no city too challenging, and no hotel too untested.”