Tourism Awards

New Zealand - An Award Winning Country

New Zealand voted the best

New Zealand has been voted the best country in the world for the first time ever at the Conde Nast Traveller Awards 2005 in the UK this week, announced Tourism Minister Mark Burton. New Zealand also took out the top overall prize, beating out winners of 23 other categories.

"The result is gratifying not just because of the win, but because the readers who voted for us are the sorts of people we are trying to attract to New Zealand. This is further evidence of the benefits of the strong and positive working relationship between the government and the wider sector in building New Zealand's reputation as a high quality visitor destination.

"Conde Nast Traveller readers are affluent, upwardly mobile professionals, and, most importantly, are very interested in travel. This really is an amazing result.

"New Zealand frequently features high in Conde Nast Traveller reader's preferences - often coming second and third in the prestigious awards, but this is the first time that we have won," Mark Burton said.

Thirty thousand Conde Nast Traveller readers voted for their favourite holiday destination in a questionnaire published earlier this year.

Readers graded their chosen country in 10 separate categories. These included climate, culture, food and scenery. With an overall rating of 97.33 (out of a possible 100), New Zealand beat Thailand, Australia and Italy to take out the top country spot. Last year's winner was Australia.

New Zealand received top marks for scenery (99), environmental friendliness (98.87) and safety(97).

Conde Nast Traveller is a monthly glossy magazine with a circulation of 83,092 (ABC), which has risen steadily since its launch in the UK in 1997. The annual awards are voted for by readers alone, making them one of the most rewarding accolades within the UK travel industry.

New Zealand's High Commissioner to London, the Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt, collected both awards.

Visitor arrivals from the UK for year ended July 2005 were 308,000, an increase of over 10 per cent from 2004.

Other New Zealand Awards

New Zealand has been an award-winning country recently. This list summarises some of our recent successes.

Dec 1999
Wanderlust Magazine UK - New Zealand voted top country.

Dec 1999
Cond Nast - New Zealand voted top country

2001
New Zealand's 100% Pure campaign beats 600 other entries to win gold medal winner at the Fedaration Nationale des Offices de Tourisme et Syndicats d'Initiative (F.N.O.T.S.I) awards in Cholet, France.

2000
New Zealand voted second most highly rated holiday destination in the world at the Cond Nast Traveller Awards 2000 in the UK. .

2000, 2002, 2003
New Zealand wins the Guardian & Observer newspapers award for best long-haul destination

2001
Tourism New Zealand receives Gold Quill Award for the strategy development and implementation of the 100% Pure New Zealand Campaign

2003
Wanderlust magazine vote New Zealand 'top destination' and 'safest destination' for third time running

2003
New Zealand is runner-up for 'country on the up' in this year's Sunday Times' Travel Magazine (UK) Awards - after Croatia (first) and Australia (third).

2003
newzealand.com wins best travel and tourism site in NetGuide 2003 awards

Jan 2004
Washington Post votes New Zealand no.8 in list of top ten international destinations that are hot for 2004.

Jan 2004
Lonely Planet Staffers name NZ the hot destination for 2004  for the second year in a row

Jan 2004
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International awarded Tourism New Zealand gold awards for the Royal Tour documentary, and for the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign. The campaign also won the overall platinum award.

Feb 2004
www.newzealand.com is site of the day on macromedia.com

Feb 2004
Tourism New Zealand 100% Pure New Zealand campaign wins 2004 PATA Grand Award. Newzealand.com and Tourism New Zealand posters win Gold Awards.

May 2004
Chelsea Flower Show Tourism New Zealand garden  100 % Pure New Zealand Ora  Garden of Well-being' - wins the Gold Medal in the Show Garden category.

May 2004
Guardian/Observer New Zealand voted best long haul destination in the Guardian/ Observer awards. UK

Oct 2004
Tourism New Zealand's website newzealand.com won two of the top awards at the TUANZ (e)-vision awards. Haka module won the Event marketing/integrated marketing campaign' award. The interactive map won the Information/Reference' category.