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Victoria rates among world's best cities in Condé Naste 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards

Victoria rates amongst the best cities in the world in Condé Naste Traveler’s 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards. This year, almost 80,000 people took part in the survey, casting 1.3 million votes.
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Victoria's Inner Harbour, seen from the West Song Walkway. Dave Petryk, president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver Island, said Wednesday in a news release, “we are so lucky to live here and enjoy, every day, what our visitors travel at great lengths to be part of for a short period of time.”

Victoria rates amongst the best cities in the world in Condé Naste Traveler’s 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards.

This year, almost 80,000 people took part in the survey, casting 1.3 million votes. The travel magazine says no destination was too remote: Both Tibet and Rwanda debut in this year’s list with hotels.

And none was too small, says the survey. Four favourite cities have populations of fewer than 10,000 people.

In the top 25 cities worldwide, Victoria came in at No. 17, tied at 81.2 points with Sydney, Australia, and Sante Fe, New Mexico.

“It’s an honour to be recognized by Condé Nast Traveler,” said Trina Mousseau, director of destination marketing of Tourism Victoria, in a news release, this morning. “It sparks conversation about our destination and shows Greater Victoria is truly a region that is full of life and a destination of choice amongst travellers worldwide.”

Victoria is described by travellers in the magazine as a “beautiful harbor town with great food” and “a pocket of charm and beauty” on the southern end of Vancouver Island. Readers apparently gushed about the setting and architecture, and enjoyed the variety of activities: walking, biking, antiquing, dining at “great seafood restaurants,” and visiting museums and the Butchart Gardens. It's a “hidden treasure,” the magazine reports.

Other results saw Victoria rank No. 3 in the Top 5 Cities in Canada, Vancouver Island voted No. 16 for Top 25 Islands in the world, and Vancouver Island voted No. 1 for top Islands in Canada, said Tourism Victoria.

The Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino is celebrating its No. 1 ranking in the Top 15 resorts in Canada. Five resorts from Vancouver Island and the gulf Islands were considered amongst the country’s top resorts.

Charles McDiarmid, managing director at the Wickaninnish Inn, said catupulting to the top spot from sixth spot last year is fulfilling.

“Our team is consistently striving to improve our Inn and our destination for world travelers and it seems our many recent enhancements have been noticed.” he said. “Moving up in the rankings from our number six spot in last year’s Canadian Resorts category to number one is truly gratifying.”

Also included in the top 15 resorts in Canada are: Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Ucluelet (7), Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa, Victoria, (8), Poets Cove Resort & Spa, Pender Island, (14) and Pacific Shores Resort & Spa, Parksville. (15).

Tourism Vancouver Island points out that in the category for top hotels in Western Canada — Hastings House on Saltspring Island took the No. 3 spot in with Sooke Harbour House at No. 8 Close behind were Victoria hotels: Magnolia Hotel & Spa, (10), Hotel Grand Pacific (12), the Fairmont Empress Hotel (15), and the Inn at Laurel Point (18).

Condé Nast Traveler has conducted a Readers’ Choice award program since 1988 and since 2000 Vancouver Island has remained among the top islands, said Tourism Vancouver Island.

One reader noted that Vancouver Island is the epitome of being in the Pacific Northwest.

Dave Petryk, president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver Island, said Wednesday in a news release, “we are so lucky to live here and enjoy, every day, what our visitors travel at great lengths to be part of for a short period of time.”

The Readers Choice Awards 2013 can be found at: http://www.cntraveler.com/readers-choice-awards