It’s official. Cape Town is the best city in Africa. That’s according to the 2023 World Travel Awards, which were announced at a seriously glitzy ceremony held at the Atlantis Royal Resort in Dubai on October 16 2023.
This year marked the 30th anniversary of the respected Awards (dubbed the Oscars of the travel industry), and Cape Town was celebrated as 'Africa’s Leading City Destination’, praised for its hotels, operators and even its airport.
That's right: Cape Town International Airport was named Africa's Leading Airport, while the Port of Cape Town – home to a world-class cruise terminal – was awarded Africa's Leading Cruise Port 2023. Cruises have become an increasingly important tourism niche for the city known as the ‘Tavern of the Seas’, with more than 75 ships calling in Cape Town over the 2022-23 summer season.
Cape Town also scored big in the best hotels category, with Labotessa Luxury Boutique Hotel winning Africa's Leading Design Hotel. The Silo – home to the most striking location in Cape Town – won Africa's Leading Luxury Hotel. The Atlantic Seaboard of the city cleaned up too, with One&Only Cape Town claiming the crown of Africa's Leading Luxury Resort, and Villa Two at Ellerman House hailed as Africa's Leading Luxury Hotel Villa.
Not too shabby, considering these latest awards come hot on the heels of Cape Town placing fourth in the ranking of Best Big Cities around the globe in the 2023 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.
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