Sydney Dominates US' Favourite Foreign Cities

Media Release
Monday 11 October 2004

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA DOMINATES US' FAVOURITE FOREIGN CITIES

For the third year in a row and for the ninth time in the last 11 years, Sydney, Australia has been named the top city to visit in the world by the discerning readers of one of America's most popular travel magazines.

Sydney ranked number one in the annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice poll leading a field of the world's most romantic cities, including Florence, San Francisco, Cape Town, Rome, Paris and Bangkok.

Accepting the award on behalf of Sydney in New York from actress Angela Basset, the NSW Minister for Tourism, Ms Sandra Nori, said the honour reflected on the warmth with which Sydneysiders welcomed visitors from the US.

"US visitors spent four million nights in Sydney and the state of NSW in the year to June and they immediately recognise that we share far more in common than just language," she said

In the current world climate, Ms Nori said she believed many Americans who aspired to visit Sydney and Australia would take the opportunity to do so and "live life in a different light".

"I guarantee anyone who climbs Sydney's Harbour Bridge will take with them forever lifelong memories of Australia's vast, open sky, stunning beaches and natural harbour."

Ms Nori said the Condé Nast Traveler accolades recognised not only Sydney's unique, natural environment but its internationally acclaimed restaurants, bars, shopping and cultural activities.

The world's cities are ranked via a survey of Condé Nast Traveler readers on a variety of criteria, including ambience; friendliness; culture/sites; restaurants; lodging; and shopping.

Ms Nori said over the past decade Sydney has received more than 50 tourism awards. "There's no place in the world like Sydney," she said

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