New Zealand hot spots ranked among world’s ‘best cities’ by Travel + Leisure readers

Queenstown is New Zealand's 'best city', according to a new survey by Travel + Leisure readers. Photo / 123rf

Two New Zealand hot spots have ranked among the best cities in the region in the 2024 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards – despite one of them not being a city.

Travel + Leisure’s survey asked its readers to vote for their favourite cities in New Zealand, Australia, and the South Pacific. Ratings were based on sights or landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping and value,

According to survey results, Queenstown was New Zealand’s best city ranking in third place, while Auckland followed in fourth.

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Our neighbours across the ditch dominated the remaining spots in the top five. In first place was Sydney, which knocked Hobart off the top spot from last year and down into fifth place. Melbourne came in second.

Sydney is no stranger to appearing on top lists for destinations, with Travel + Leisure writers remarking on how its “100-plus gorgeous beaches and the iconic coastal walks between many of them stick with you, as does the outstanding restaurant and bar scene, the stellar museums and galleries, and the picturesque skyline dotted with architectural landmarks”.

They added: “The exceptional weather, friendly locals, and easy-to-navigate streets and waterways don’t hurt either.”

Despite the category name, Queenstown is not a city. With a population of just over 50,000 people, it’s the largest town in the Queenstown-Lakes District.

Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards has been running for 29 years after launching in 1995. There have been more than 186,000 completed surveys across several categories and 700,000-plus votes cast in the annual competition.

Top 5 favourite cities in Australia, NZ and South Pacific, according to Travel + Leisure readers

1. Sydney, Australia
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Queenstown, New Zealand
4. Auckland, New Zealand
5. Hobart, Australia