The Municipality of Athens has won a prestigious award in the field of international tourism. Athens has been named the World’s Leading Cultural Destination at the renowned World Travel Awards 2024. The impressive awards ceremony took place in Madeira, Portugal, in the capital Funchal, on Sunday, November 24.

In his statement, the Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, emphasized: “We are very proud of this award, which proves that Athens is a strong global brand in the cultural sector. A vibrant and welcoming city that shares with its visitors its rich cultural heritage, combined with its modern, enhanced image. The Municipality of Athens continues to invest in strengthening culture through important actions and events that bring the residents and visitors into contact with Athens’ rich cultural past and present.”

The award was received by the CEO of Development Athens S.A., Ioannis Georgizas, as the Municipality’s company has taken on the promotion of the Greek capital in international tourism markets through This is Athens. Mr. Georgizas said: “This global recognition of Athens comes as a result of the systematic work we do in the field of the city’s extroversion. Through the Development Company of the Municipality of Athens, we continue to implement actions aimed at highlighting Athens’ competitive advantages in international tourism markets. Our goal is to attract high-level tourism to strengthen the local economy.”

Athens stood out among 15 destinations from around the world for its rich cultural heritage and the unique experiences it offers to millions of visitors year-round. For 2024, the cities that competed in the same category as Athens were Edinburgh, London, New York, Paris, Rome, Dubrovnik, Venice, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Kyoto, Hoi An (Vietnam), Barranquilla (Colombia), Quito (Ecuador), and Santiago de Cali (Colombia).

Top Cultural Destination in the World for 2024: Athens

About the World Travel Awards
The World Travel Awards have been organized annually since 1993 and are considered one of the most important global award institutions. Known as the “Oscars” of the tourism industry, they recognize the best in all sectors of tourism – official bodies, travel agencies, hotels, airlines, etc. – through an open online voting process. The votes mainly come from professionals working in the travel and tourism industry, as well as from travelers themselves.