Forbes ranks Victoria on its ‘Best Places To Travel’ in 2023 list

Forbes ranks Victoria on its 'Best Places To Travel' in 2023 list
Photo: Graham Cox
Victoria's Inner Harbour.

Victoria is once again being recognized globally and this time, it’s all thanks to Forbes’ “23 Best Places To Travel Around The World In 2023” list. 

The rankings, released on March 30, showcase nearly two dozen international destinations, and B.C.’s capital is just one of two locations in Canada to be featured alongside Edmonton, Alta.

“One of the unexpected joys of living in the Pacific Northwest turned out to be frequent jaunts to charming Victoria,” wrote travel expert Corinne Whiting. “I love the ease of this compact, walkable city and each visit I seem to discover brand-new treasures.”

In honour of Women’s History Month, various female writers contributed to Forbes’ latest list, including Seattle-based Whiting who selected the south Vancouver Island city as one of the best places to visit this year.

Outside the country, some other locations mentioned are overseas, including Noto Valley, Sicily; Isle of Skye, Scotland; and Nice, France. Places like Istanbul, Turkey; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Manizales, Colombia, also got a nod.

But for Whiting, Victoria’s natural landscapes, First Nations-led tours, kayaking excursions and wildlife sightings made it her pick.

“In 2023, sustainability and respecting and acknowledging local First Nations are at the forefront,” according to the contributing writer in a post on Forbes’ website.

“Learn about the Songhees Nation at the Songhees Wellness Centre — where people and traditions come to meet — then venture out in a cultural canoe or walking tour departing from the Inner Harbour,” she said.

It’s worth mentioning that the American business magazine has already released “best places to travel” lists this year, including on March 16 when Vancouver Island got a nod, but Victoria didn’t. Back in October 2022, another list was revealed, but Lake Louise was the only Canadian location mentioned.

Still, Victoria has gotten its fair share of recognition, like last fall when it was named the “#2 Best Small City” in Conde Nast Traveler’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. A few months prior, the city scored first place on Resonance Consultancy’s 25 top-performing Canadian cities with populations under 200,000 list.

“And of course, it doesn’t hurt that Canadians are some of the nicest folks around, too,” added Whiting.

See Forbes’ new list here.

Ethan MorneauEthan Morneau

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