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Victoria considered one of world’s ‘friendliest’

Travel + Leisure magazine readers are gushing about the great atmosphere and people in Victoria, ranking our city one of the World’s 30 Friendliest Cities.
VKA-VictoriaSkyline03082.jpg
Victoria’s skyline.

Travel + Leisure magazine readers are gushing about the great atmosphere and people in Victoria, ranking our city one of the World’s 30 Friendliest Cities.

Victoria was the only Canadian city to make the list by the travel magazine, which publishes nearly a million copies a month worldwide.

In its annual World’s Best Awards survey, Victoria is ranked 19th in the Friendliest category. Galway, Ireland, received top honours followed by Charleston, South Carolina and Dublin, Ireland.

The list also includes U.S. cities such as Portland and New Orleans as well as international giants Bangkok, Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

Travel + Leisure describes its Friendliest Cities as having people who are proud of their city, passionate about its culture, invested in its future and who are eager to share that with visitors. The magazine goes on to say residents act like voluntary tour guides, being the first to point visitors in the right direction or share a little-known café that’s home to the most spectacular local delicacy. The magazine cited Victoria as “a storybook city, best known for its magnificent Butchart Gardens and windswept seafront.”

“[The] city had a lot of character,” remarked one voter. Take the ferry from Vancouver to best appreciate the wildness of the region. While the city has done away with its reputation for being staunchly English, you can — and should — take afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress. The William Edwards china, sterling silver service, and live piano music set a purposefully British mood.

“It’s an honour to be recognized by one of the most well-known travel publications,” says Paul Nursey, president and chief executive of Tourism Victoria. “It shows tourism businesses and residents in the region continue to deliver outstanding experiences to visitors. We look forward to building on this momentum as we head into the fall and Halloween.”