Cape Town among friendliest, J

Cape Town among friendliest, Joburg rudest of world cities in int’l report

South Africa is indeed a colourful country of contrasts, but who knew that readers of international travel magazine “Condé Nast Traveler” would place both the friendliest and unfriendliest cities of the world in Mzansi?

Cape Town among friendliest, J

It’s an age-old clash of attitudes: Johannesburg versus Cape Town. Once you’ve made your allegiance with either one of the two cities (be it for reasons pertaining to lifestyle, rugby teams, or family ties) you’re typically stuck with your choice for the rest of your life.

Many factors tend to typically inform this important choice in the life of any South African, including considerations such as traffic, nature and people living in the respective cities. Some claim that Capetonians are cliquey, others say that Joburgers work too hard, but overall, this “rite of passage” tends to rest on whimsical decisions rather than rational choices.

But the latest battlefield in this confrontation seems to come from visitors to South Africa, who have voted Cape Town to be the fifth friendliest city on earth while Jozi takes the final spot on their list, according to the esteemed travel publication “Condé Nast Traveler” (CN Traveler).

It may be understandable that Cape Town managed to accrue yet further accolades after being widely marketed as one of the most desirable places to travel to in the world this year. But is Johannesburg really the pits, as the magazine would have us believe?

Cape Town versus Johannesburg

“CN Traveler” first spoke of Cape Town in highly encouraging terms:

“Cape Town is ‘the most amazing place on earth,’ according to one of our readers. It’s ‘an ideal mix of nature, coast, mountains, and beaches,’ and is ‘safe for walking around alone, even as a single woman.’ Don’t be afraid to wander beyond the city center, either,” raves the publication about Cape Town.

But with most murders in South Africa actually happening in Cape Town (and not exclusively in notorious Johannesburg), the advice to go exploring alone might be beyond ill-informed. The fact remains that criminal minds do not distinguish between tourists and locals, and often target those, who might be weak – such as a visitor lost in the Bo Kaap – most readily.

When looking more closely at the parameters used to determine the world’s unfriendliest cities by “Condé Nast Traveler”, the publication reports that everything from location to political perception can play a part in informing the views of travellers. Even “size and basic language barriers can make a destination unattractive to tourists and be a factor in their evaluation of a place’s ‘friendliness’,” says “CN Traveler”.

Granted, the metropolitan area that stretches from East Rand to West Rand and from Vereeniging to Pretoria could swallow up the combined land mass of several smaller countries, and isn’t exactly known for outstanding quality in service and performance in the hospitality sector, but would you rate it as the world’s rudest place?
Beyond London? Beyond Paris?

“CN Traveler” says that safety still remains the most serious concern in all travellers, which goes to justify the bulk of the rating mechanics behind the low score given to Joburg.

“Condé Nast Traveler” says: “‘It is not safe to travel in Johannesburg independently,’ one reader warned, while others called it ‘dangerous’ and ‘a city of crime and contrasts.”

Johannesburg doesn’t seem to have brushed of any of its negative reputation consisting of traumatic hijackings and brutal murders, as crime continues to set the agenda. However, “CN Traveler” fails to mention that most crime victims in South Africa come from an economically disadvantaged background, that safety measures from hiring private security firms to building electrified fences around estates deter the bulk of the potential for crime in many cases, and that common sense goes a long, long way to ensure the safety of locals and visitors alike.

In an attempt to redeem a shred of dignity for Joburg, “CN Traveler” writes that despite its “iffy reputation” Johannesburg does have a few perks.

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

Thanks, Condé Nast Travel. We’ll go shopping for some of that signature rudeness at Sandton City then and go on to enjoy a lovely brew of typical unfriendliness in Maponeng afterwards while our Capetonian counterparts can keep getting tourism fatigue from all angles.