Melbourne Named the Friendliest City in the World, Ahead of Seoul, Amsterdam and Lisbon
Synopsis
Melbourne scored 98.52 in the Conde Nast Traveler awards, narrowly beating Porto. Perth came sixth, and Sydney missed the list.
Key Highlights
- Melbourne has been named the world's friendliest city.
- It scored 98.52, beating Porto, Portugal, which scored 98.33.
- Perth also made the top 10, ranking sixth with a score of 97.28. That means Australia has two cities on the list.
- Sydney, which appeared in the 2025 rankings, didn’t make the cut this year.
What Happened
Melbourne has taken the top spot as the world’s friendliest city, beating destinations such as Seoul, Amsterdam and Lisbon. The ranking comes from travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler, with around 300,000 people from around the world taking part in the voting.
Melbourne scored an impressive 98.52, with Porto close behind at 98.33. The result is also a big improvement for Melbourne, which scored 94 last year and has climbed five places since 2025.
According to the magazine, the friendliest cities are places where locals are willing to help when you’re struggling with a menu, trying to navigate public transport or simply looking a little lost.
Melbourne stood out for its coffee culture, creative atmosphere and welcoming locals.
The city’s character was another major attraction. Condé Nast Traveler highlighted Melbourne’s Victorian-era buildings, tucked-away bars, graffiti-filled laneways and strong café culture. It also praised the city’s public transport, public institutions and work-life balance.
And then there was Sydney. While Melbourne’s score was only slightly different from Sydney’s, the two cities have very different personalities. Melbourne’s cooler weather and artsy character were contrasted with Sydney’s famous “sun-kissed” image.
Sydney made the 2025 list, but this time it has been left out.
There are a lot of places with great food and beautiful landscapes. But this award shows what travelers remember is how they were treated at that place. When people feel welcomed, they are more likely to return to a place and recommend it to others.
It is also a positive boost for Victoria’s tourism industry. Being named the world’s friendliest city gives travellers another reason to put Melbourne on their list.
What Founders Can Learn
Melbourne didn’t win because of one spectacular attraction. It stood out because of many smaller things working together, great coffee, reliable transport, a creative atmosphere, friendly people and a strong quality of life.
That is a useful lesson for businesses too. Customers don’t judge a company only by its product. They remember the entire experience.
You can’t simply buy genuine friendliness or manufacture it with a marketing campaign. It comes from culture and people. When you consistently treat customers well, those customers can become your best form of ad.
The Inspirepreneur Question
If a city can capture the world’s attention simply by making people feel welcome, why do so many businesses spend more money trying to look impressive than they do making their customers feel valued?
Source: News.au.com
At Inspirepreneurs Magazine, covering entrepreneurship, business failures, and the human stories behind the world's most ambitious founders. She writes at the intersection of strategy and storytelling.
