SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Yellowknife has been included on a list of war-torn, crime-ridden and previously bombed-out cities as one of the 10 greatest comeback cities by Lonely Planet, a print and digital publisher of travel information.

The list appears on the publisher's website, and is part of a 208-page book called Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2011, a compilation by 28 different authors. Besides the 10 greatest comeback cities, the book also discusses the top 10 countries, regions and cities to visit as well as a travel planner of more than 35 monthly events across the globe for travellers.

The greatest comeback list paints an unflattering picture of these cities as "once deep down in the urban dumps, these cities have bounced back from the brink of becoming no-go destinations, turning tumultuous pasts into tourists' drawcards."

The publication's description of Ayacucho, Peru, second on the list, tells readers about the city's turnaround since its "Shining Path" terrorist movement. This turnaround includes paved roads since 1999 and a "cluster of chic-but-cheap" hotels and restaurants.

Other entries on the list, such as Beirut, Lebanon, Asmara, Eritrea and Belgrade, Serbia, have well-known histories of civil or international wars.

But this is the point of the list, said Robert Reid, US Travel Editor for Lonely Planet. It is to show how cities that people normally "write off" as tourist destinations have changed for the better. Change can mean improvements in security, the economy and culture, and the cities on the list demonstrate changes mainly in those areas.

"It's more of a refresh button than a misperception (clarifier) because people don't realize things have changed," he said.

The description for Yellowknife, number nine on the list, is a city that "rose to riches when gold was discovered nearby and slumped right back when gold-mining waned during the 1990s."

It goes on to state the city has now "put its dark days behind it" because of the diamond industry, the Northern Heritage Centre and "quirky" Old Town. Besides the city's economic past, Reid said one perception that needs to change is the city's location as a place that can't be reached as like "going to the North Pole," he said.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem agrees Yellowknife is a comeback city, given the city's rebound from the recession in 1992 and the drop in the city's population to about 16,000 by 1996. Van Tighem said he can see the city capitalizing on being included on a list of comeback cities.

"In the world of tourism, any good news is something you can work on," he said.

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