San Francisco wins top city award again

By Lara Moscrip, Bay City News Service

October 17, 2006

A recent magazine survey named San Francisco the United States' No. 1 destination city, a ranking that bolsters the city's hopes of hosting the 2016 Olympic Games.

San Francisco ranked first in the Conde Nast Traveler's annual readers' choice awards for the top 10 U.S. cities, the city's 14th consecutive year in holding the title.

"We are incredibly proud that the readers of Conde Nast Traveler have chosen San Francisco," Mayor Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

"This prestigious travel award is one of the many reasons why we believe San Francisco is the best U.S. city that the United States Olympic Committee can offer the world,'' Scott Givens, managing director of the San Francisco 2016 bid committee, said in a statement. "San Francisco is a best-in-class, international city, a magnificent place to visit and proven host of international events. The world loves San Francisco.''

The award was presented to Joe D'Alessandro, head of the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau, during a ceremony on Monday in New York City -- which took third place in the poll after San Francisco and Santa Fe, N.M.

The title was determined based on 21,000 responses by Conde Nast Traveler readers. According to the magazine, each city was judged on ambiance, friendliness, culture and sites, restaurants, lodging and shopping.

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