Buffalo ranks #1 in a new poll of America's Favorite Cities by Travel+Leisure.
The publication is highly respected in the tourism and hospitality industry according to Patrick Kaler, the president and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara. Kaler says it's the second time in recent weeks that Buffalo has appeared in Travel+Leisure.
"They're now starting to recognize Buffalo as this very popular, very viable, travel destination. When we beat out cities like New York City, San Francisco [and] New Orleans for this designation, I think we're starting to get the attention that Buffalo really deserves," Kaler said.
Kaler points out that over the past year, more than 200 travel writers have visited Buffalo and published articles about the city. He credits things like Canalside, the city's architecture and culture, and its growing brewery and culinary scenes.
"Being able to dine in Buffalo and have tastes from around the world, I think that's truly exciting," he added.
Traffic to Visit Buffalo Niagara's website is up 119% since the article was published on Thursday. Kaler says the third-party validation will be used in VBN's marketing.