Jozi big on sights, not on smiles

According to the index, Johannesburg expected 4.3 million international overnight visitors in 2014, compared to last year's 4.1m visitors. Picture: Hasmita Nair

According to the index, Johannesburg expected 4.3 million international overnight visitors in 2014, compared to last year's 4.1m visitors. Picture: Hasmita Nair

Published Aug 8, 2014

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Johannesburg - Joburg, Paris, Milan and Monte Carlo all have something in common: a miserable bunch of people.

And Joburg is the most miserable of them all, according to international travel magazine Condé Nast’s Traveller Readers’ Choice Survey for 2013.

This survey, which had nearly 80 000 responses, asked tourists to rate the friendliness of the people in the cities they visited, among other factors.

The City of Gold beat Cannes and Moscow, second and third unfriendliest cities respectively, to take the top spot, while Paris, Marseille, Beijing, Frankfurt, Milan, Monte Carlo and Nassau made up the rest of the top 10.

“Though Johannesburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, safety still remains a serious concern,” Condé Nast wrote.

It said the people they surveyed said Joburg was “dangerous” and “a city of crime and contrasts”.

“In one instance, a visitor was ‘pressured to give a tip for personal service, which was not received’,” the magazine said.

“Despite its iffy reputation, South Africa’s largest city remains a burgeoning cultural capital with a stunning urban landscape, excellent breweries, and great shopping.”

Cape Town ranked on the opposite spectrum and was voted the eighth-friendliest place to visit.

The Mother City also ranked the best city in Africa and 11th in the world on its overall score.

The Star

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