The poll was conducted online by readers of the prestigious magazine who chose Portugal for its combination of culture, cuisine, fine wines, beaches, golf courses, history, and especially for the Portuguese hosts who were described as an affable, open and "very sincere" people. Portugal also was considered to have a "striking variety" of landscapes.
This is the second time that Portugal has been selected for this award. In this 6th competition, Portugal vied with Spain, USA, Italy, Mexico, and Switzerland winniinig the 'Best Country' section.
The award was presented in Madrid to the President of Turismo de Portugal, João Cotrim de Figueiredo who stressed the importance of the award -
"This award reinforces the visibility of Portugal as a tourist destination of excellence and distinct from Spain, a leading international market that in 2013 generated more than 3 million nights and over €1 billion in revenue. I also emphasise with a degree of pride the fact that the unique qualities of the Portuguese people in contact with tourists was marked highly and motivates many to return. This is one of the aspects that contributed largely to Portugal getting this award."
Condé Nast Traveller Awards 2014 ran a total of 23 categories including hotels, resorts, spas, cities, transportation, and technology related to the tourism and travel.
