Athens was crowned World’s Leading Cultural City Destination 2022at this year’sWorld Travel Awardsheld in Muscat, Oman. The Award was presented to the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA).
It is the third award in line after the two recent exceptional European distinctions presented to the city (Best Cultural Destination in Europe and Best Convention & Visitors Bureau in Europe), proving the tourism dynamics of Athens in recent years.
The Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, stressed on the occasion: “Athens is becoming an international brand. We reintroduce the destination to foreign markets and highlight our city’s hosting potential through strategic planning and dynamic synergies. By investing in its residents’ quality of life, we are investing in the city’s future as a tourist destination. The third-in-line success of Athens in this important international event -which came within a month- gives us strength to work even harder to enhance the destination’s profile, aiming at the greatest possible benefits for the city.”
The Greek capital stood out, competing with other landmark cities, such as New York, London, Paris, Rome, Beijing and Rio de Janeiro, candidates in the same category.
At a special ceremony held last Friday, the award was received by the ADDMA CEO Epaminondas Moussios, who stressed: “We are proud of Athens’ first international award at the World Travel Awards. The long-term strategy of the City of Athens for sustainable tourism development, implemented through ADDMA, is paying off. “
The World Travel Awards have been organized since 1993, but it is the first time that Athens has won one.
The prestigious World Travel Awards receive nominations from all tourism sectors every year. The awards are presented following open online voting at the regional level (Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Central America, Middle East, Oceania, Caribbean, and Indian Ocean) and internationally. Votes come mainly from specialized executives working in the industry and travellers. —
Athens participatedin the award ceremony in the framework of the project “Implementation of a general tourism promotion campaign for Athens as a vibrant and authentic city” (Sub-project 4 Act 5034507).