As a big fan of New Orleans, I am so happy to hear that the domestic destination, which continues to grow, was recently named the 5th Big City in the U.S. according to Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2015. New Orleans was ranked among other major U.S. hubs like Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and New York, while placing ahead of other cultural destinations like Austin and Seattle. Congrats NOLA!
Read: 10 Things to do During Your New Orleans Visit
In its 28th year, Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards is an annual readers’ survey that rates destinations, hotels, airports, cruise lines and more. The awards have become so popular, drawing feedback from more than 128,000 readers, that the magazine has separated big cities from smaller ones for separate rankings this year. In 2014 New Orleans was ranked one of the Top 25 Cities in the World on Conde Nast Traveler’s combined list of national and international destinations, which has been divided into domestic and international lists this year.
“New Orleans offers an incomparable experience for visitors – it’s a place where jazz spills into the streets from music clubs, where internationally-renowned chefs bring their inspiration to the table and where history meets the modern-day, from our French and Spanish architecture to our customs,” said Stephen Perry, President and CEO, New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The vitality of New Orleans shines through our hospitality, and this recognition from such a respected and trusted brand reconfirms New Orleans’ position as an authentic, world-class destination.”
The designation as one of the “Best Big Cities in the U.S.” is New Orleans’ most recent accomplishment in a string of accolades including being named the number two “World’s Best City” in the U.S. and Canada on Travel + Lesiure’s annual reader survey, the number one “U.S. City for Business Travelers” by Condé Nast Traveler, one of the “Friendliest Cities in America” by Travel + Leisure and more.
So what do New Orleanians have to say about the nomination?
“New Orleanians have always known we are a top city in the U.S,” said Mark Romig, President and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC). “It is a great honor to learn that all the voters in the Condé Nast Traveler poll agree with us and that they also recognize what a great destination New Orleans is.”
More information on Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards and a complete list of winners can be found here.
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