A top time down under: Sydney named favourite world city in new Which? survey
In its first survey of world cities since the pandemic, the consumer champion asked more than 1,800 members of its online panel to rate their experiences of world travel outside of Europe over the last three years, receiving feedback on over 3,000 trips.
Locations were marked on seven separate criteria, including the quality of food and drink, cultural sights and tourist attractions, ease of getting around and value for money. A city score was then calculated based on a combination of overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend the destination.
Sydney took first place with an impressive city score of 88 per cent. Melbourne and Perth also took spots in the top ten with scores of 83 and 82 per cent respectively (the latter tied with Tokyo and Washington DC).
From the world-famous Opera House to the natural beauty of the iconic Bondi Beach, sun-soaked Sydney offers something for all tastes. The city received a string of four-star ratings in categories including accommodation, shopping, and food and drink, as well as cultural sights and attractions.
Many visitors singled out the famous harbour for praise, lauding the ‘spectacular’ scenery as well as ‘buzzing’ atmosphere, and enthused that the area boasts countless activities and restaurants to enjoy.
Cape Town took second place with a city score of 85 per cent. The South African city received an impressive five-star rating for food and drink, with visitors noting the ‘amazing, freshly caught’ seafood and local wines as particular highlights. The city also received four-star ratings for value for money, accommodation, shopping, and cultural sights and attractions, with respondents awed by the ‘amazing’ and ‘spectacular’ views from Table Mountain and enthralled by the renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Opportunities for wildlife spotting outside of the city also proved popular, with visitors recommending varied experiences from whale watching to seeing the penguins on Boulders Beach. The city received two stars for ease of getting around, with respondents cautioning that extra care is needed when travelling after nightfall.
Three vastly contrasting cities, Chicago, Kyoto and Singapore, tied in third place. All achieved a city score of 84 per cent.
Currently having its time to shine as the setting of cult show The Bear, Chicago beat iconic US cities including New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC to take the top spot in North America.
Visitors were impressed by the city’s cultural sights and attractions and shopping experience, awarding it four stars in each of these categories.The Magnificent Mile lived up to its name, with visitors whiling away the hours in its ‘excellent’ shops, and respondents were stunned by the city’s ‘breathtaking’ architecture, particularly when viewed from the river. A holiday in Chicago is also much cheaper than many popular US destinations; the average hotel room rate was £185, significantly lower than New York (£246) and Boston (£238) and cheaper than San Francisco and L.A too.
Kyoto meanwhile received an impressive five-star rating for cultural sites and attractions, one of just two cities in the survey to do so, alongside Washington DC.
The former Japanese imperial capital offers visitors a fascinating window into the country’s heritage, with seventeen officially designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Respondents were full of admiration for the city’s many Buddhist temples and Zen gardens, while the region’s famous cherry blossom is a popular draw in springtime.
The city also scored four stars for shopping, accommodation and food and drink, with visitors praising the ‘authentic’ food, often ‘cooked right in front of you.’ It scored three stars for ease of getting around and value for money, dropping to two stars for lack of crowds.
City-state Singapore meanwhile was the only city in the survey to achieve two five star ratings, which it achieved for its food and drink offering, and shopping experience. From top-notch restaurants staffed by some of the world’s best chefs, to the culinary vibrancy of the city’s ‘hawker centres’, or food markets, Singapore is a melting pot of cuisines. It also boasts a stellar shopping scene, with the bustling Orchard Road home to landmark stores and boutiques. The city scored four stars for accommodation, cultural sights and attractions, and ease of getting around, with visitors marvelling at the ‘manicured public spaces, cleanliness and efficiency’ of the city.
Melbourne (83%) and Perth, Tokyo and Washington DC (all tied on 82%) were close behind, taking 6th and joint 7th places.
At the other end of the survey, Las Vegas was the lowest scoring destination, with a paltry city score of just 52 per cent. Despite being a world-famous party destination, renowned for entertainment and casinos, the city scored no higher than two stars in any category. Though visitors enjoyed the ‘crazy fun’ to be found on the Strip, respondents noted it is a ‘love it or hate it’ destination, with ‘something to love – or avoid – around every corner’.
Santiago, Chile and Los Angeles completed the bottom three with scores of 58 and 60 per cent respectively.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:
“The top-rated cities in our latest survey may be wildly different, but they all have one important thing in common – they offer visitors a feast for the senses, with a fantastic array of cultural sights, excellent food and stunning scenery combining to create that undeniable ‘wow’ factor.
“Australia proved particularly popular, with sun-soaked Sydney wooing visitors with its unique mix of cosmopolitan city-life and laid back beach vibes, while Melbourne and Perth also impressed. Chicago meanwhile offers the best of the US at a better price.”
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
- Which? surveyed 1878 members of its panel between September and October 2023 about their experience visiting world cities, outside of Europe, in the past four years. Results based on 3,096 holidays.
-City scores are based on a combination of overall satisfaction and how likely people are to recommend the city as a holiday destination.
- Full table of results
About Which?
Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.
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