Tāmaki Makaurau has once again been recognised globally with renowned publication The New York Times naming Auckland on one of its top travel lists.
The region is named at number five on the Times’ list of 52 places to go in 2023, with the article pointing out Auckland’s status as the culinary capital of Aotearoa (sorry Wellington!).
The Times wrote about the region’s multiculturism (more than 220 different ethnicities call the region home) and highlighted the newly renovated downtown precincts as well as the many new restaurants and eateries.
To get a taste of Auckland’s food offerings, check out our recently published iconiceats that lists the top 100 eats as nominated by Aucklanders.
New York Times isn’t the only trusted voice singing Auckland’s praises internationally.
Auckland is the first destination listed on Condé Nast Traveler's 23 Best Places to Go in 2023. Condé Nast has a monthly global readership of five million.
Airbnb included Auckland in their 2023 top 10 places to travel, promoting the jewels of the Hauraki Gulf and visits to Great Barrier Island’s Dar Sky Sanctuary, spending time on Waiheke Island or enjoying a whale safari.
In late 2022, Auckland was also named one of world’s best LGBTQ+ friendly cities by travel company Big 7. The region was described as an urban hub and home to the largest Pride Event in the South Pacific, and praised as "one of the world's most liberal countries," and the first country in Oceania to legalise same-sex marriage in 2013.
The UK’s popular Time Out named Kingsland as one of the world’s coolest suburbs and Karangahape Road made the list as one of the world’s coolest streets.
National Geographic UK readers also voted New Zealand as their top long-haul destination for 2022, calling out Auckland as one of the drawcards for making the long flight worthwhile.
In late 2021, Lonely Planet announced that Tāmaki Makaurau was their number one city to visit in 2023.
Notes to editor
These accolades support the work that Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is doing to promote Tamaki Makaurau Auckland to the North American market, along with industry and regional partners.
In 2019, almost half (46 per cent) of all visitors spend from the USA was spent in Auckland and Queenstown. North America has also been identified as a priority market by both Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand.