Asia’s best travel brands revealed

Smart Travel Asia has just released the results of their 2009 “Best in Travel Poll” a completely non-definitive list of Asia’s best travel brands -- and Shanghai has some notable mentions (but you already knew it would).

If you've flown on a Chinese airline, you won't be surprised to find out that no Chinese airlines made the cut in the airline categories, although Pudong International Airport did sneak in at seventh place for Best Airport Worldwide. Anyone who has been delayed by excessive H1N1 screening or flew before Terminal 2 opened earlier this year might raise an eyebrow at this, but we’ll give travellers the benefit of the doubt here.

The city’s strength came via its hotels and shopping.

Although we’re a bit surprised that Shanghai ranked eighth overall as in the “Best Holiday Destinations, Asia” -- it tied with Angkor (Siem Reap), and Tokyo, which seem to be far better suited to tourism than Shanghai’s skyscrapers -- the poll did highlight exactly what Shanghai is good for and that would be shopping. Shanghai came in seventh (tied with Bali) in the cities in Asia to shop.

Another significant result was Shanghai coming in fifth place for "Best Cities for Business."

Smart Travel reports that, “Five stories in constant demand are our surveys of shopping in Singapore, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Bangkok.”

Shanghai’s other rankings:

Asia’s best travel brands: Best Cities for Business
5. Shanghai, China

Asia’s best travel brands: Best Business Hotels
10. Grand Hyatt, Shanghai
13. Park Hyatt, Shanghai
17. Park Hyatt Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City
      Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai

Asia’s best travel brands: Best Conference Hotels
13. AYANA Resort and Spa, Bali
     JW Marriott Hotel, Hong Kong
     Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai
19. The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai