The Spanish edition of prestigious travel bible Conde Nast Traveller magazine awarded Manchester the title of ‘Best International Destination’ at its annual Gold List ceremony held in Madrid on Tuesday 4 June.

One of 21 prizes awarding the very best in travel and tourism and voted for by Conde Nast Traveller Spain readers, Manchester’s win was one of the most significant of the night as the city faced stiff competition in its category from a long list of 16 other international destinations including Bangkok, Mexico City, Istanbul, and Vienna.

The award recognises the work that Marketing Manchester and national tourism board VisitBritain have undertaken to promote the city in Spain over many years, alongside Manchester’s generally improving tourism offer that includes new hotels, attractions, restaurants and nightlife.

According to the latest available data Manchester currently receives around 64,000 annual visitors from Spain each year, which has grown by 36% from around 47,000 in 2015.