A Decade at the Top: Charleston Again Named Travel + Leisure’s Best U.S. City

For the tenth consecutive year, readers of Travel + Leisure magazine have named Charleston the Best U.S. City in the publication’s annual World’s Best Awards. In addition, the Holy City was chosen as the 23rd best city in the world (down from 18th a year ago). Charleston was the only American city to make the world list.

The magazine had the following to say about Charleston’s top ranking:

“There’s a reason people keep going back to Charleston: the city expresses the perfect balance of Southern charm, knockout food and drinks, and walkability. Many readers also found the city’s history to be a draw. Others appreciated the simple pleasures of strolling the side streets of downtown.”

“Being recognized by such a highly-regarded publication for the tenth year not only strengthens our relevance among travelers, it underscores the significant role that travel plays in the local economy,” said John LaVerne, Explore Charleston’s Board Chair and Founder of Bulldog Tours. “Just as the competition for travelers’ discretionary spending has increased as communities recover from the pandemic, so has the competition for these respected accolades and the associated downstream benefits they generate.”

The College of Charleston’s Office of Tourism Analysis recently reported the total economic impact of the visitor industry in the Charleston area grew to a record $10.6 billion in 2021. The percentage of countywide sales attributable to tourism increased to over 23%. 

“These awards provide incredible exposure at an important time in our industry’s recovery and reinforce to potential visitors the many attributes – from outdoor activities in our beach communities to historic sites on the peninsula – that make our region an iconic destination,” said Helen Hill, CEO of Explore Charleston. 

Travel + Leisure‘s 2022 World’s Best Awards Survey is based on readers’ votes in categories like landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping, and overall value. The Holy City topped No. 2 New Orleans and No. 3 Santa Fe on the U.S. list. The top 10 list can be seen below:

TRAVEL + LEISURE WORLD’S BEST AWARDS 2021:  TOP 10 U.S. CITIES

1. Charleston, South Carolina
2. New Orleans, Louisiana
3. Santa Fe, New Mexico
4. Savannah, Georgia
5. Honolulu, Hawaii
6. New York City
7. Chicago, Illinois
8. Alexandria, Virginia
9. San Antonio, Texas
10. Boston, Massachusetts

Oaxaca, Mexico topped the World’s Best City list, besting San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Ubud, Indonesia. Charleston ranked first in the world back in 2016 and remains the only U.S. city to ever top the list.

Some other highlights:

• The Loutrel (20) and the Wentworth Mansion (99) were both included in the The 100 Best Hotels in the World list
• The Loutrel (2) and the Wentworth Mansion (8) were also included in the list of The 15 Best City Hotels in the Continental U.S.
• Kiawah Island (25) was chosen as one of The 25 Best Islands in the World
• Kiawah Island (2) was also chosen as one of The 15 Best Islands in the Continental U.S.
  • Hilton Head Island placed 9th on the same list
• The publication also put together a list of Charleston’s Top 15 Hotels, which you can view here. The list was topped by The Loutrel
• Travel + Leisure also created a list of The 10 Best Resorts in South Carolina, which you can see here. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort topped the list.

You can view the full Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards here and in the August issue of the magazine

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