Once again, Bangkok has been named the World's Best City by readers of Travel & Leisure magazine.
And I can't help but think, this MUST say more about who reads Travel & Leisure than it does about Bangkok.
Especially when you consider that readers of this very same magazine named Siem Reap the world's Seventh Best City!
Quick! Can you tell me what country Siem Reap is the capital of? I mean, have you ever even HEARD of Siem Reap?
So what is it that readers of Travel & Leisure are looking for when they rank cities?
"It’s easy to see why Thailand has been voted as the country with the world’s favorite city,” says Louise Nathan, Group Product & Marketing Manager, Exotissimo Travel.
“Bangkok offers a melting pot of experiences for travelers and locals alike; world class cuisine found not only in the many top restaurants but on every street corner; saffron clad monks; glistening temples and gleaming malls create visual delight while the energy and soul of the city beats through every part of Bangkok.”
Oh! Now I understand!
Cities like London, New York, Paris, and Rome don't have enough monks dressed in saffron robes.
Rounding Out the Top 10
So what were the other eight cities on the Top 10 List – Hong Kong? Shanghai? Sydney? Rio de Janeiro? Helsinki?
Not a clue!
The other Eight Cities weren't mentioned in the press release (note to PR folks: please make my job easier!).
I tried logging on to Travel & Leisure's website to find out, and it just got too complicated.