Charleston Maintains No. 4 Spot in Travel + Leisure Magazine’s World’s Best Poll

For Immediate Release, July 2009

Charleston has been ranked as the fourth best city in America, according to Travel + Leisure magazine’s World’s Best Awards 2009 readers’ survey. The same slot was granted to the Holy City last year, after moving up from No. 6 in 2007. Charleston is led only by New York, San Francisco and Quebec City in the US/Canada division.

Three Charleston properties were also honored in this year’s poll as Top 100 Hotels in the Continental U.S. and Canada. Included in the rankings were the Charleston Place (No. 22), Planters Inn (No. 8) and the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort (No. 16).

Helen Hill, Executive Director of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, says, “It is a privilege to be recognized again. We’ve known for quite a while that Charleston is a special place with world-class amenities and attractions. The fact that the sophisticated readers of Travel + Leisure also recognize this is an added bonus.”

Travel + Leisure magazine has a circulation of approximately one million and is a highly regarded source of travel and dining information designed for the well-traveled person who has a strong interest in leisure activities. The 2009 World’s Best Awards readers’ survey results (listed by overall and regional rankings) and survey methodology are featured in the August issue of Travel + Leisure magazine, and online at www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest.

To learn more about the Charleston area, please contact the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 843-853-8000 or 800-774-0006. Also, be sure to visit our website at www.ExploreCharleston.com