For the second year in a row, Victoria has topped Condé Nast Traveler’s list of the best small cities in the world.
The travel and lifestyle magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards were announced Tuesday.
Paul Nursey, chief executive of Destination Greater Victoria, said the city is in good company. It tops a list that also has San Sebastian, Spain; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Florence, Italy; Salzburg, Austria; Lucerne, Switzerland; Porto, Portugal; Galway, Ireland; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The top ranking means that Victoria, as a meetings and leisure destination, is “truly up there with some of the most interesting and unique places in the world,” said Nursey, whose destination marketing organization is tasked with selling Victoria to the world.
“And I think for us what it really means is our brand is now clearly distinct from Vancouver, Seattle and other places in the Pacific Northwest.” About 575,000 readers participated in this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards by submitting ratings about their travel experiences on a five-point scale.
Nursey said the results suggest Victoria is able to attract a more affluent traveller, which is reflected in the hotel rates the city has seen of late.
According to Chemistry Consulting’s most recent figures, the average daily room rate through the first seven months of this year was $255.21, up from $240.48 last year, while revenue per available room was $188.87, up from $167.77 at the same time last year.
The most recent numbers available also note Victoria International Airport has seen a nine per cent increase in total passengers through its gates compared with last year, while vehicle counts on B.C. Ferries were up 2.64 per cent and the Victoria Conference Centre has seen a 26 per cent increase in the number of delegate days.
Nursey said Victoria has gone from middle of the pack in terms of average daily room rate to third behind Vancouver and Toronto.
Overall, he said, this year has been “really solid” for tourism, with a number of operators reporting they are ahead of pre-pandemic numbers.
Reid James, general manager of the Hotel Grand Pacific, credited Victoria’s ranking atop Condé Nast’s list of best small cities last year in part for the strong tourism numbers this year.
“Condé Nast Traveler is one of the most respected and read travel magazines in our industry. For those travellers who do their research before choosing a destination, [Condé Nast’s] opinion matters,” he said.
“Competition for the leisure travel dollar is fierce in the Pacific Northwest, so whenever you receive such an endorsement, I believe it makes a difference.”
Ryan Burles, president of Black Ball Ferry, which operates the Coho ferry between Victoria and Port Angeles, Washington, said the list definitely makes an impression with European travellers. Like James, he said last year’s ranking was likely part of the reason for the tourism surge this year.
“That publication would give you some assurances this is a really top-notch place to come,” he said.
Nursey said the Condé Nast recognition will help them build on this year’s success, and will be used in marketing pitches and public-relations efforts.
It will be part of Destination Greater Victoria’s fall launch of a 10-year master plan that will focus on the need for re-investment in the region’s infrastructure, like repairs to the Inner Harbour causeway, ways to make hotel development easier and the need for new amenities such as a museum and expanding the conference centre.
“We’re a globally recognized brand now, and that’s proven to be true, but we also see downside risk if we don’t get moving on some of these projects because our competition is all moving,” Nursey said, pointing to Seattle’s work to improve its waterfront.
“We see that we’ve reached the pinnacle, but if we want to stay there, we need to continually up our game. Everyone else around the world is continuing to see the value of attracting visitors, foreign direct-investment conferences.”
He acknowledged making the case for investment in infrastructure will be difficult, considering the entire country is crying out for upgraded and improved infrastructure, from repairing crumbling seawalls to building highways and bridges. He said the plan is to appeal to the bottom line.
“We do the analysis of the taxation revenue that this helps to drive. This is new direct money from non-citizens that helps to fund our general revenues,” Nursey said. “We have a success story we need to keep investing in.”
Condé Nast also recognized a number of Island hotels and resorts in the Readers’ Choice Awards, with the Wickaninnish Inn being named the top resort in the U.S. and Canada.
Charles McDiarmid, managing director of the Wickaninnish Inn, called the award a “testament to the dedication and passion of our entire team, who strive every day to create unforgettable experiences for our guests while remaining committed to excellence, sustainability, and our deep connection to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.”
Victoria hotels were well represented in the rankings, with three making the list of the top 12 hotels in Western Canada. The Oak Bay Beach Hotel was ranked No. 5, the Fairmont Empress was No. 6, and the Magnolia Hotel and Spa was ranked eighth. Hastings House Country House Hotel on Salt Spring Island was ranked ninth.
The Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver topped the list.
Madone Pelan, general manager of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, said the award recognizes the hotel’s commitment to providing exceptional guest experiences.
“Being a top hotel isn’t just about the property itself — it is about the experience and the lasting feelings our guests take home with them,” Pelan said.
Condé Nast, which publishes numerous magazines, including Vogue, GQ and The New Yorker, said its Traveller magazine reaches more than 20 million print and web readers every month and more than 40 million people on its social-media channels.
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