HONG KONG NAMED ‘ASIA’S BEST CITY’ IN TOP TRAVEL MAGAZINE READER POLLS

Hong Kong has been named “Asia’s Best City” in the fifth annual World’s Best Awards readers’ survey conducted by major US consumer travel magazine, Travel + Leisure.

The winners were announced in the September 2000 issue, which reveals Travel + Leisure readers’ favourite cities, hotels, islands, tour operators, airlines, car rental companies, cruise lines and spas.

Hong Kong was voted the best city in Asia, having ranked second last year. The highest ranking cities in other regions were Sydney (Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific), London (Europe), Jerusalem (Africa and the Middle East) and Cancun (Mexico and South and Central America). San Francisco was selected the World’s Best City Overall.

The results are indexed averages of responses concerning applicable characteristics. Readers were asked to name their three favourite cities and islands. Overall ratings are based on the percentage of respondents who rated each contender for activities/attractions, culture/arts, people, restaurants/food, and value for money.

In the Top 100 Hotels Overall — based on rooms, ambience, service and value —The Peninsula, Hong Kong and The Regent, Hong Kong and The Mandarin Oriental were placed 4th, 6th and 15th respectively. They and the Island Shangri-La, Ritz-Carlton and Kowloon Shangri-La all appeared in the Asia Region Top 25, with The Peninsula ranking third in this category.

Cathay Pacific Airways was second in the Top 10 Foreign Airlines, with 80.6 points, the rating based on comfort and service, on-time record and food.

The Mid-Levels Escalator was chosen as an attraction not to be overlooked, described as a “20-minute, half-mile automated journey with the best people-watching. Hop on/off at will — great restaurants and shopping line both sides.”

Central District’s restaurant Blue, in Lyndhurst Terrace, was voted Hong Kong’s “Table of Choice” popular with the finance and fashion set, while for a night out, the Antidote Bar in Hollywood Road was deemed “a small, spare spot for cocktails”. The retail store, Here, in Causeway Bay was considered “great” for Scandinavian-inspired home furnishings.

The questionnaire was developed by the editors of Travel + Leisure, in association with Yankelovich Partners Inc, and sent in Spring 2000 to thousands of subscribers, asking their opinions on destinations, hotels and travel services. All responses were returned to, and kept confidential, by Yankelovich Partners Inc, which tallied the results. Winners will be honoured on 23 September at a celebration in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Travel + Leisure magazine is published by the American Express Publishing Corporation, a subsidiary of the American Express Company, managed by Time Inc.