It’s easy for us Sydneysiders to forget just how lucky we are to call this stunning city home. With beautiful beaches on our doorstep and lush national parks right in our backyard, we really are living the dream. And it turns out, the rest of the world is dreaming about heading to the Emerald City, too. Sydney has just been crowned as the fourth-most desirable city in the world for 2024, as voted by travellers in Wanderlust’s 23rd annual Reader Travel Awards.
This year, more than 3 million votes were cast by 168,000 readers across 22 different award categories, ranging from the most desirable country to travel to, to the top city, region and island. Our very own Harbour City ranked as the most desirable Australian city to travel to, ranking at number four on the list of the world’s most desirable cities.
According to Wanderlust’s 2024 Reader Travel Awards, the most desirable cities in the world to travel to are:
- Tokyo
- Singapore
- Rio de Janeiro
- Sydney
- Cape Town
- Vancouver
- Buenos Aires
- New Orleans
- Hong Kong
- Chicago
And while we’re chuffed with our city’s ranking, we’ve got even more to be proud of when it comes to Australia as a whole. For an impressive third time in four years, Australia claimed the title as the most desirable country on Earth – beating Canada, Japan, the USA and New Zealand.
Anyone who calls Australia home knows what an epic place it is to live, but also travel. Wanderlust says the sudden surge in global interest could be tied to “a steep rise in the availability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-run cultural tours and experiences” – with opportunities that offer travellers the chance to explore “the Indigenous roots of iconic cities such as Sydney” cited as a drawcard.
While our native wildlife (hello spiders and snakes) might scare some travellers off, it’s also part of Australia’s unique charm. In fact, Australia was voted as the sixth Most Desirable Destination for Nature and Wildlife holidays in 2024. If spending your holidays immersed in the natural world appeals, our glamping and camping guides to NSW should help (you can even experience a safari-esque camping experience right here in the city).
Australia is also making a name for itself on the global food map, securing its spot as the eighth Most Desirable Destination for Gastronomy in 2024. From waterfront institutions to intimate dining rooms – you don’t need to leave Sydney to experience some of the very best restaurants in the world.
You can check out the full results from Wanderlust’s 2024 Reader Travel Awards here.
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