JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2014 Good
City Index has named Johannesburg, South
Africa's broad-shouldered business and financial capital, as
the second most inspiring city in the world, behind Hong Kong.
(http://magazine.good.is/features/johannesburg_rank_2014).
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141128/161355
Johannesburg scored well in
every category the judges used for their rankings. They rated the
city highly as a "hub of progress". Other categories in which eGoli
– place of gold, as the city is often called -- sparkled were city
engagement, street life, defining moments, connectivity, green
life, diversity and work-life balance.
The judges singled out for praise Johannesburg's many urban regeneration
projects. These included mixed use development of formerly derelict
inner city neighbourhoods, cycle lanes in Soweto, the Johannesburg Art Fair and "a
pocket of innovation called Braamfontein".
"Braamfontein sits on the doorstep of the CBD, at the foot of
the Nelson Mandela Bridge. Home to events like this year's Social
Media Week, British Counsel Connect ZA, Puma Social Club, and the
Johannesburg Dance Umbrella, Braamfontein is the perfect
illustration of a racially integrated South Africa. A breeding ground of creativity
and innovation packed full of galleries, artist spaces, bars, and
startups focused on making meaningful connections with the man on
the street, Braam (as the cool kids say) is a testament to Joburg's
vision for future."
These latest accolades came hot on the heels of an announcement
by Mastercard and its highly prestigious Global Destination Cities
Index that Johannesburg was on
track to become the most popular destination city in Africa for the second year in a row in
2014.
The city was expected to attract 4.3 million international
overnight visitors this year and international visitor expenditure
of more than $3.3 billion (R35.5
billion).
Meanwhile a new survey is helping debunk a myth about
Johannesburg.
Mexico's Citizens' Council for
Public Security and Criminal Justice has released a list of 50 of
the most violent cities in the world. Four American cities made the
list but not Johannesburg.
(http://www.seguridadjusticiaypaz.org.mx/biblioteca/finish/5-prensa/177-por-tercer-ano-consecutivo-san-pedro-sula-es-la-ciudad-mas-violenta-del-mundo/0)
The Council's researchers named San Pedro Sula in
Honduras as the most violent city,
with 187.14 murders per 100 000 residents, followed by
Caracas in Venezuela (134.36) and Acapulco in Mexico (112.8).
The US cities were Detroit
(46.99, 24th), New
Orleans (45.08, 26th), Baltimore (37.77, 36th), and
St. Louis (34.14,
45th).
For more information, please
visit www.joburgtourism.com or www.joburg.org.za
Contact: Laura Vercueil : PR & Communication
Manager, Johannesburg Tourism, Tel: +27 11 214 0700, Email:
laurav@joburgtourism.com
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/johannesburg-among-the-worlds-most-inspiring-cities-300002170.html
SOURCE Brand South Africa