For Immediate Release, July 2013
CHARLESTON IS RANKED NO. 1 ON THE TRAVEL + LEISURE 2013 WORLD’S BEST AWARDS LIST OF TOP CITIES IN THE U.S. AND CANADA
CHARLESTON IS RANKED NO. 1 ON THE TRAVEL + LEISURE 2013 WORLD’S BEST AWARDS LIST OF TOP CITIES IN THE U.S. AND CANADA
Charleston, South Carolina (July 2, 2013) – The announcement that Charleston was voted the Top City in the U.S. and Canada in the Travel + Leisure 2013 World’s Best Awards survey was made during a live appearance on the TODAY Show this morning by Nilou Motamed, the magazine’s features director. The complete results of the 2013 World’s Best Awards survey will be featured on TravelandLeisure.com and in the August issue of the magazine, on newsstands July 19.
This marks the third consecutive year that Charleston has been named the top U.S. travel destination by a leading national magazine. While this is the first time Charleston has appeared in the coveted No. 1 position on the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards list, the historic seaport city previously earned the top spot in 2011 and 2012 with Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.
"Visiting the Charleston area is a unique experience for many reasons," says Frank Fredericks, Managing Director of Wild Dunes Resort and Chair of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Governors. "From the nationally recognized restaurant scene and exquisitely preserved historic district to the surrounding miles of pristine beaches and barrier island resorts, the Charleston area offers a rare combination of sophistication, living history, natural beauty, and world class hospitality. We are delighted to be recognized by readers of Travel + Leisure as a favorite travel destination and want to thank everyone who took the time to vote in this year's World's Best Awards."
In addition to the No. 1 City in the U.S. and Canada ranking, the following six Charleston area hotels received 2013 World’s Best Awards.
TOP 100 HOTELS (worldwide):
52. Market Pavilion Hotel
80. Wentworth Mansion
TOP HOTEL BRANDS: CONTINENTAL US
Resorts (40 rooms or more):
27. The Sanctuary Hotel at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Large Hotels (100 rooms or more):
33. Charleston Place
Small Hotels (Fewer than 100 rooms):
1. Market Pavilion Hotel
3. Wentworth Mansion
4. French Quarter Inn
7. Planters Inn
To celebrate the Charleston’s area win, the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is launching #TakeMeToChs, a year-long sweepstakes that awards trips to the destination with accommodations provided by the six Charleston area hotels, inns, and resorts that appear on the Travel + Leisure 2013 World’s Best Awards. The sweepstakes is one component of an extensive advertising campaign that will appear in Travel + Leisure magazine, on Travelandleisure.com, and across Travel + Leisure digital platforms. For contest rules, visit TakeMeToCharleston.com.
Travel + Leisure readers voted on their favorite hotels, cities, islands, spas, cruise lines, airlines, tour outfitters, and car-rental agencies. The 2013 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, online at: www.TravelandLeisure.com/worldsbest, and in the World’s Best Awards 2013.
The mission of the Charleston Area Convention and 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.
To engage the Charleston area’s more than four million annual visitors, the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau maintains a variety of specialized, interactive websites.
• Explorecharleston.com offers in depth information tailored to key audiences: visitors and guests, meeting planners, tour professionals and journalists.
• Charlestonfamilyfun.com is a comprehensive trip-planning resource that offers tips on age-appropriate activities at area attractions and makes activity suggestions based on family’s preferred vacation style: adventure, encounter, imagine or unplug. It also serves as the portal to the Charleston Explorers Club, a custom program created by the CVB to help families embark on an interactive journey through the Charleston area.
• Charlestonareabeaches.com is a guide to the area’s five barrier islands’ beach towns, each with its own distinctive character and range of accommodations.
• Charlestonweddingguide.com is a visually beautiful platform that showcases the area’s destination weddings.
• Christmasincharleston.com celebrates the Lowcountry traditions, shopping, special events, cuisine and lodging packages that make the holiday season memorable.
• Charlestonly.com shares the characters, flavors, sights and sounds found only in one place: Charleston, S.C.
Follow the conversation on Twitter with @explorechs and @travlandleisure.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Ida Becker, Charleston Area CVB Communications Director
[email protected]
(843) 805-3006
Molly Waring, Charleston Area CVB Media Relations Manager
[email protected]
(843) 958-3631
Julia Melvin, Charleston Area CVB Media Relations Assistant
[email protected]
(843) 805-3074
Explorecharleston.com
Twitter.com/ExploreChs
Facebook.com/ExploreChs
