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Lonely Planet names Australia in its 2016 'Top 10' countries list
28 Oct 2015, 09:43 am
Sydney, Oct 28 (NITN): Australia’s enduring international appeal has been confirmed by Lonely Planet on Wednesday, making the leading global travel authority’s Top 10 list of countries to visit in 2016.
Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2016 book, published today and now in its 11th year, comprises an annual collection of the best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the upcoming year.
Australia ranked sixth on the Top 10 Countries list, drawing special mention for value for money, ‘booming’ Indigenous tourism and ‘a roaring trade in UNESCO World Heritage wilderness areas’.
Tourism Australia Managing Director, John O’Sullivan, said that Australia’s place in Lonely Planet’s ‘must visit’ country list for 2016 was a huge marketing opportunity.
“Australia’s challenge has never been getting onto people’s travel wish lists, but more around translating our destination’s strong appeal into more actual visits. Making Lonely Planet’s Top 10 list of ‘must visit’ countries for 2016 is exactly the sort of ‘new news’ which helps do that. As acknowledged by the Lonely Planet team, there’s probably never been a better time to visit Australia, with international visitors from most of our key markets benefitting by having more tourism dollars in their pockets to spend when they get here."
“A key focus of our marketing this year has been around the promotion of our Indigenous tourism story, so it’s really pleasing to see this called out as one of our unique selling points and competitive strengths,” he said.
O’Sullivan said it was great to also see Fremantle continue what had become a tradition of Australian cities and regions making Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Best in Travel lists:
Tasmania: Top 10 Regions 2015
Adelaide: Top 10 Cities 2014
The Kimberley: Top 10 Regions 2014
Hobart: Top 10 Cities 2013
Darwin: Top 10 Cities 2012
Great Barrier Reef: Top 10 Regions 2011
Newcastle: Top 10 Cities 2011
Each year, Best in Travel’s recommendations are drawn from hundreds of ideas submitted by Lonely Planet’s staff, authors and extended community of travellers, bloggers and tweeters. Their suggestions are then refined by a panel of in-house travel experts, based on ‘topicality, excitement, value and that special X-factor’.
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