The Southern Lakes region has scooped the pool in the inaugural 2008 TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Destination Awards, with Milford voted the No 1 destination in the world by travellers, followed by Queenstown in second place.
The awards honour the world's top destinations, earning their distinctions from travellers who have been there. The winners are determined by a combination of TripAdvisor's travellers' favourite places and overall popularity on the TripAdvisor website.
TripAdvisor-branded sites have more than 25 million monthly visitors, 6 million registered members and 15 million reviews and opinions.
TripAdvisor global communications vice-president Michele Perry said the awards were unique because they did not just single out the most popular places, but ‘‘truly exceptional places that enthral travellers and keep them coming back''.
Destination Fiordland manager Lisa Sadler said the award was a ‘‘fantastic coup'' for the region and it reinforced the strength of Milford Sound as an internationally renowned attraction.
‘‘It's particularly gratifying that Southern Lakes got first and second . . . it's proof yet again that Southern Lakes is a truly worldclass destination.''
The regulatory organisations and tourism operators in the region were to be congratulated.
They both delivered the best possible experience and ensured visitors had the means to access sights without significantly encroaching on, or being detrimental to the natural environment, she said.
Destination Queenstown chief executive David Kennedy also said the town's operators were in large part responsible for the accolade.
‘‘This is phenomenal recognition for Queenstown and the people who run businesses here showcasing our southern hospitality and delivering an inspirational experience.''
Mr Kennedy said in the year ended December 2007, Queenstown recorded a total of 2.4 million visitors - up 2% on the year ended December 2006.
The credibility of the award was not an issue, with Trip-Advisor ‘‘the world's largest travel community'' based in the United States, he said.
Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said the awards recognised the exceptiona beauty of the Southern Lakes region and the unique experiences the region offered.
‘‘TripAdvisor members are exactly the kind of travellers Tourism New Zealand is targeting in the online space.
‘‘They are well-travelled, like to get off the beaten track and use websites to plan holidays, and share their experiences and favourite destinations.
‘‘These awards are a huge credit to the New Zealand tourism industry,'' Mr Hickton said.
In the top 50 destinations worldwide, Auckland came in at No 37 and Wanaka was voted in at 46, just ahead of Christchurch in 48th position.
Dunedin featured seventh on the site's top 10 autumn beach destinations, topped by Fiji.
