The Harbour Bridge and Opera Home have failed to forestall Sydney from being trumped by a shock Australian metropolis in a current tourism award.

Hobart has been voted the Finest Metropolis in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific within the 2023 Journey + Leisure World’s Finest Awards.

Tasmania’s capital has loved a quick ascent within the awards’ rankings over the previous few years, shifting from fourth place in 2021, to second place in 2022 and the highest spot this 12 months.

Sarah Clark, Tourism Tasmania CEO, mentioned the accolade was a “massive win” for Australia’s island state, and indicated a sturdy curiosity from North American travellers.  

Tasmania is understood for its beautiful views. Photograph: Getty

The popularity of the town is overdue, Alex Heroys, Vacation spot Southern Tasmania CEO, mentioned.

“The town’s beautiful locale, mixed with its excellent hospitality, gastronomy, lodging and accessibility to world-class wilderness, have been instrumental components in its recognition as the final word journey vacation spot,” he mentioned.

“On the core of nipaluna/Hobart’s success, nonetheless, is its welcoming neighborhood.

“The folks of this unimaginable city, identified for his or her friendliness and heat, play a vital function in creating an inviting ambiance for guests from across the globe.”

It’s not simply the worldwide neighborhood that holds Hobart in excessive esteem; a 2018 survey discovered Hobartians are by far probably the most happy with their metropolis out of Australian capital metropolis residents.

Australia and New Zealand sweep prime 5

Journey + Leisure is without doubt one of the largest American journey media platforms, with an viewers of 9.9 million.

Annual rankings are the outcomes of surveys despatched to a whole bunch of 1000’s of Journey + Leisure readers, who price cities based mostly on their sights and landmarks, tradition, delicacies, friendliness, buying, and total worth.

Australian cities took three of the highest 5 spots within the Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific part of the awards.

Worldwide rankings a unique story

Australian cities didn’t make an influence within the worldwide Journey + Leisure metropolis rankings, with solely Hobart making an look at No. 22 – regardless of being a newcomer to the worldwide class.

Mexico’s Oaxaca got here first for the second 12 months in a row in Journey + Leisure Readers’ 25 Favorite Cities within the World of 2023, with Udaipur, India, and Kyoto, Japan, rounding out the highest three.

Nevertheless, Australia fared loads higher in worldwide seashore rankings earlier this 12 months.

4 Australia seashores scored spots on Banana Boat’s checklist of the world’s 50 finest seashores, alongside massive names from the Seychelles and Hawaii; Western Australia’s Fortunate Bay got here in first place.