Travel News

New Zealand in Lonely Planet Top 10

New Zealands made the cut to be named in Lonely Planets prestigious Best in Travel publication for 2010.

New Zealand was picked by Lonely Planet authors, staff and travellers as one of the Top 10 Countries to visit in 2010.
 
Also featured on the list are El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Portugal, Suriname and the USA.
 
Lonely Planet pokes fun at itself for recommending New Zealand as “too obvious, right?”
 
“But there’s wisdom in the old saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, and last time we checked the land of Mori and hobbits it certainly didn’t need repairing,” the guide says.
 
It lists New Zealand essential experiences as being ‘as strong as ever’, from spectacular landscapes and wildlife to Mori culture and food and drink.  It also singles out New Zealand for praise in spearheading eco-travel and for its ethos towards responsible travel.
 
“Being singled out as one of the Top 10 Countries for 2010 by Lonely Planet is an astonishing result for New Zealand, given the competition out there from established and emerging tourism destinations,” Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton said.
 
Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 also features its top 10 regions and cities for the year ahead, as well as other travel lists including:
 

• Top 10 super cycling routes - the Otago Peninsula route is named as one of the best rides for its mixture of ‘scenery and sweat’
• Top 10 places to walk your dog – Dunedin makes the cut for its ‘network of dog-friendly trails’ around the city
• Top 10 for twitchers – the Otago Peninsula is singled out as one of New Zealand’s hot attractions because of the region’s birdlife

Earlier this year, readers of the prestigious travel magazine Condé Nast named New Zealand as one of their favourite destinations.
 
“New Zealand’s ability to continue to compete with hot new destinations is a testament to the country’s desire to deliver a great tourism experience, its innovation in creating new tourism products and its drive to improve its environmental performance,” Mr Hickton said.
 
 

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