For Immediate Release, October 2015
Charleston, South Carolina, Named No. 1 City in the U.S. by Condè Nast Traveler 2015 Readers' Choice Awards for the Fifth Consecutive Year
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA (October 20, 2015) - Known for rich history, well-preserved architecture, a celebrated restaurant community and mannerly people, the Charleston area has been recognized as the No. 1 Small U.S. City for the fifth consecutive year by Condè Nast Traveler 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. The Charleston area received an overall ranking of 88.13, higher than any other city in the world. Readers rank destinations on Arts/Culture, Friendliness, Scenery/Sights, Restaurants/Food, Accommodations, Shopping, Value. This year's Readers' Choice Awards received 128,000 ballots, the highest in the 28 year history of the awards.
"To be named a No. 1 City for the fifth consecutive year by readers of Condè Nast Traveler is a testament to the vitality of the Charleston area's hospitality industry," says Dan Blumenstock, Chairman of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The Charleston area's combination of vibrant culture, genuine hospitality and wonderful people continue to make it a special place to live and visit."
Charleston first appeared on the Condè Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Top U.S. Cities in 1993 with a sixth place ranking. It achieved the No. 1 ranking in 2011 and has hung onto the top slot for five years running.
"The Charleston area continues to deliver on the promise of genuine hospitality, world class cuisine, and an authentic travel experience. We are honored to be recognized for the fifth consecutive year by readers of Condè Nast Traveler as the top U.S. destination for travel," added Helen Hill, Executive Director of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
In addition to the No. 1 Top Small U.S. City ranking, Kiawah Island Golf Resort ranked No. 6 Top 20 U.S. Resorts in the South, and Wild Dunes Resort ranked No. 20 Top 20 U.S. Resorts in the South.
The Restoration on King and Wentworth Mansion ranked No.2 and No. 13, among the Top 20 2015 Readers' Choice Award-winning properties in the U.S. category.
The following hotels ranked among the Top 10 Hotels/Charleston category: The Restoration on King, Wentworth Mansion, John Rutledge House Inn, French Quarter Inn, The Vendue, Belmond Charleston Place, Market Pavilion, Kings Courtyard Inn, Planters Inn, and Zero George.
The Readers' Choice Awards are announced in the November issue of Condè Nast Traveler, on newsstands October 27, 2015.
For the complete list of 2015 Readers' Choice Awards, visit www.cntraveler.com/rca.
To experience Charleston's unparalleled beauty year round visit:
explorecharleston.com
instagram.com/explorecharleston
facebook.com/explorecharleston
twitter.com/explorechs
pinterest.com/explorechs
The mission of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is to unify and lead the local travel industry in marketing the Charleston area as an individual, meeting, incentive and group destination to both the domestic and international markets. For more information, visit explorecharleston.com.
Methodology:
Fielded online through a secure website at condenasttraveler.com/vote, in 2015 the tabulation of the 128,000 responses was completed by Equation Research, a full service strategic research agency working with an extensive list of Fortune 1000 clients. The questionnaire contains lists of candidates in various categories (Cities, Hotels, etc.). Candidates must receive a required minimum number of responses to be eligible. Individual candidates are judged on a set of criteria relevant to their category, based on a standard five-point scale: excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor. The mean average of these ratings determines the final published score.
