Athens was named “World’s Leading Cultural City Destination” during the Grand Final Gala Ceremony of the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2024 which took place in Madeira, Portugal on Nov. 24.
Athens was awarded for its rich cultural heritage and the unique experiences it offers millions of travelers who visit the Greek capital each year.
The Greek capital went up against 14 other cities for the 2024 award, including Edinburgh, London, New York, Paris, Rome, Dubrovnik, Venice, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Kyoto, Hoi An (Vietnam), Barranquilla (Colombia), Quito (Ecuador), and Santiago de Cali (Colombia).
The winners are determined through a voting process by travel and tourism professionals and the public.
Ioannis Georgizas, CEO of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (center), accepts the award in Portugal during the 2024 World Travel Awards gala ceremony.
“We are very proud of this award, which demonstrates that Athens is a powerful global brand in culture,” said Athens Mayor Haris Doukas commenting on the news. The mayor went on to add that the municipality will continue to invest in strengthening culture through important actions and events “that bring residents and visitors into contact with the rich cultural past and present of Athens”.
Accepting the award in Portugal was Ioannis Georgizas, CEO of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA). “This international distinction is a result of systematic work towards the city’s extroversion. “Through the ADDMA, we implement actions aimed at highlighting the competitive advantages of Athens on international tourism markets. Our goal is to attract high-level tourism in order to strengthen the local economy,” he said.
Established in 1993, the WTA acknowledge outstanding achievements and exceptional service in travel, tourism, and hospitality encouraging innovation and excellence among industry players. Categories include airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, travel agencies and tour operators, tourism boards and destinations (e.g. leading tourist attraction, leading cultural destination), cruise lines and car rental and transportation providers.
