NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville has once again been crowned America’s Friendliest City by Travel + Leisure magazine. The same rankings also listed the city second in the nation for live music and concerts, and fourth for an affordable getaway.
“It is most appropriate that Nashville has again been named America’s friendliest city,” said Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. “Our hospitality and our people are what make Music City the special place it is. Nashville is a place people want to visit, over and over again. And because we’re such an attractive place to visit, our tourism industry is a key part of our economic engine. It’s an industry we need to invest in and celebrate.”
The publication’s annual America’s Favorite Cities rankings asks readers to rate 30 U.S. cities based on culture, shopping, restaurants, nightlife and more. The survey is conducted each summer and reported in October. Nashville was previously recognized as America’s Friendliest City in 2004 and 2005.
The 2009 rankings also listed Nashville among the Top 10 cities for safety, affordable hotels, bed & breakfasts, singles/bar scene and wild weekends.
Travel + Leisure magazine explores vacation and business travel destinations, leisure time pursuits, hotels, restaurants, wine and spirits, hobbies and entertainment. The long-standing authority in its field, Travel + Leisure has the largest, most affluent audience of any travel magazine.
Nashville’s hospitality industry is the city’s second largest industry employing almost 60,000 Nashvillians and generating $4 billion in direct visitor spending annually.
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination.
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