London unwilling to share smiles with tourists

Visitors to the capital expecting to turn to locals for detailed directions to Buckingham Palace or a bit of banter on the Tube can think again, after London only managed to place 39th in a ranking of the world’s friendliest cities.

The poll by TripAdvisor revealed that, despite being a Mecca for holidaymakers from around the globe, London fails to deliver an optimum visitor experience in a number of areas. This includes safety (28th), the cleanliness of its streets (26th) and its value for money (35th).

However, London’s cabbies helped to add some warmth to Brits’ apparently cool exteriors, with the capital ranking 5th in the world for taxi services. London also managed to come up trumps in terms of its shopping facilities (4th). While Brits’ stiff upper lip is renowned the world over, it seems that locals in Russia’s capital city of Moscow positively scowl at the prospect of interacting with tourists.

Moscow took the last place in the ranking of the friendliest cities, as well as falling to the bottom of the pile when it comes to taxi services. According to the survey, those tourists looking to raise a smile on their trip will need to head to Cancun, Tokyo or Lisbon.

TripAdvisor spokeswoman Emma Shaw said: “While London hasn't ranked particularly highly by those that have reviewed the city this year, it's important to remember that many of the respondents may have experienced London before major changes were made or post the events of the summer.” She continued: “The popularity of London as one of the most-visited cities in the world remains and travellers will continue to rave about it as a loved destination.

“Indeed, this year, London was voted the best city in the world in our travellers' choice awards. Even so, this survey perhaps proves that even a great city isn't going to be perfect in every way.” If you are heading abroad in 2013, it is crucial to secure the right type of travel insurance policy for your needs.

Date Created: 18/12/2012