Travel + Leisure poll ranks Bangkok as world’s best tourism city, Chiang Mai 10th Best

BANGKOK- Bangkok has been voted the Best City in the World in 2013, according to an Internet survey conducted by Travel + Leisure Magazine, a publication of the American Express Publishing Corporation. Chiang Mai, northern Thailand’s largest city, came in at 10th best.
Bangkok got an overall score of 90.4, beating out other prominent global cities such as Paris, London and New York. Chiang Mai scored 88.15.
This is the third such top-ranked award that Bangkok has picked up this year.
In its 20 Global Destination Cities Index for 2013, MasterCard listed Bangkok as the world’s top destination city by international visitor arrivals. It was the first time an Asian city had gained the top spot since the Index was launched in 2010.
TripAdvisor placed Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok, at the top of its Travellers’ Choice Asia Destinations list of 25 cities, while Chiang Mai was in sixth place.
The Travel + Leisure awards 2013 saw other Thai destinations, hotels and spas also score well.
On the list of the World’s Best Islands, Ko Samui was ranked 9th and Phuket ranked 15th. In the Asian islands category, Ko Samui was ranked 4th and Phuket 5th.
Said TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni, “This is the result of the tireless efforts made by the public and private sectors as well as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration over the last 10 years to ‘reinvent’ Bangkok and take advantage of its extensive tourism and travel opportunities. Visitors to Bangkok feel it is a truly cosmopolitan city that is a perfect mixture of the old and the new. Its distinctive character is the result of Thailand’s long-standing freedom while opening itself to all positive things beyond its borders.”
He added, “We are also extremely gratified to see Chiang Mai, Samui and Phuket also gaining recognition thanks to the extensive efforts being made to improve tourism products and services. All these awards will go a long way towards helping the entire travel & tourism industry ensure quality control as we enter what will be a new era of growth.”
On the list of World’s Best Hotels 2013, three were in Thailand (name - rank):
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok - 31
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai, Thailand - 43
The Peninsula, Bangkok - 69
On the list of Top City Hotels in Asia, five were in Thailand (name - rank):
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok - 2
The Peninsula, Bangkok - 10
JW Marriott Hotel, Bangkok - 14
Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok - 18
Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok - 26
On the list of Top Resorts in Asia, two were in Thailand as follows (name - rank):
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai, Thailand - 8
Four Seasons Resort, Chiang Mai, Thailand - 13
On the list of Top Hotel Spas in Asia, one was in Thailand as follows:
Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa, Chiang Rai, Thailand - 4
On the list of Top International Airlines, one was in Thailand as follows (name - rank):
Thai Airways International - 9

Sourced: TravelDailyNews