Christchurch on the comeback. Source: Neil Macbeth
	Hobart ‘re-inventing itself’. Source: Wridgways

Hobart and Christchurch have been named as two of the world’s top cities to visit next year, according to Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2013.

Praise for the Australian and New Zealand townships has come at an opportune time, given the additional aviation capacity allocated to Tasmania and Christchurch’s rebuild efforts following last year’s earthquakes.

Christchurch and Hobart ranked sixth and seventh respectively among the publications top ten cities.

Described by Lonely Planet as ‘a historic city reinventing itself’, Hobart was the only Australian city listed.

“On the back of the state's recent inclusion as part of the Australian National Landscapes Program, and some pretty significant boosts in aviation capacity, Tasmania is perfectly placed to reap the tourism benefits of such national and international acclaim,” Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said.

Christchurch was characterised as ‘New Zealand’s second-largest city, rising from the rubble created by devastating earthquakes with a breathtaking mix of spirit, determination and flair,’ according to Lonely Planet.

“It is priceless recognition of all the hard work that has gone on in Christchurch since the quakes and has the potential to make a huge difference to the speed at which our tourism industry recovers,” Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive Tim Hunter said.

Other cities to make Lonely Planet’s list for 2013 were San Francisco (1), Amsterdam (2), Hyderabad (3), Derry/Londonderry (4), Beijing (5), Montreal (8), Addis Ababa (9) and Puerto Iguazú (10).