New York Times ranks Calgary as 2014 hot spot

Brace yourself for a busy tourism season Calgary has once again ranked as one of 2014's top travel destinations, this time by the prestigious New York Times.

In a list released Friday entitled 52 Places to Go in 2014,Calgary claims the No. 17 spot out of 52, beating out Dubai, The Vatican, the Seychelles, Aspen and Belize. Calgary is the only Canadian city, region or province to earn mention.

"Flush with oil money, Calgary has morphed from ho-hum city on the prairie into a cultural hub, with offerings far beyond the Stampede, the annual rodeo and festival," the articlestates.

Calgary often referred to as the 'heart of the new West,' received praise for its cultural offerings, with the list-makers referencing the city's Peace Bridge and One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre.

Just one week ago, Calgary also made the top 10 in a ranking of 2014 travel hot spots by the U.K.'s The Guardian newspaper.

In that listing, the city beat out exotic locales like Bordeaux, Moscow, Abu Dhabi and Budapest for the top 10 spot.

Both The Guardian and the New York Times ranked Cape Town, South Africa, as their No. 1 travel hot spot for 2014.

So, which city took the bottom spot on the New York Times' list?

Niagara Falls, N.Y.