Lonely Planet picks NZ's Southern Lakes for 2012
Tuesday 1 November 2011, 2:14PM
By 100% Pure New Zealand
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International travel authority Lonely Planet has chosen New Zealand’s vast Southern Lakes region as one of the world’s ‘Top 10 Regions to visit in 2012’.
The Southern Lakes region which includes three major New Zealand tourist destinations - Queenstown, Lake Wanaka and Fiordland - is the only New Zealand region to feature in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012.
Queenstown and Southern Lakes is ranked at #8 for its year-round activities and spectacular scenery.
Top adventure playground
Lonely Planet says there "isn’t a bad time to turn up in the world’s top adventure playground."
"There’re nonstop outdoor activities year-round in the resort towns of Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau, as well as the surrounding mountains, lakes and parks… Where else can you ski in the morning and golf or water ski in the afternoon?
"Add excellent wineries and superb restaurants and what more is there to say?"
Diverse and spectacular
New Zealand’s Southern Lakes region - a sweeping landscape of mountains, alpine lakes, wilderness valleys and coastal fiords - is renowned as one of the most diverse and spectacular regions in the world.
It encompasses the tranquil alpine beauty of Lake Wanaka, the international four-season resort of Queenstown and Fiordland’s wild coastal landscapes, surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area.
The region offers a diverse blend of adventure tourism, family holidays and accessible wilderness experiences, along with exclusive luxury lodges and fine dining to match the world class wines produced in the vineyards of Central Otago.
Top activities include skiing and snowboarding, cycling, wine trails and walking the famed Milford Track.
Breathtaking, jaw-dropping
Lonely Planet New Zealand spokesperson Sarah Bennett said that anyone who lived or had visited the Queenstown region would back up the latest accolade.
"Words like breathtaking, jaw-dropping, exhilarating and stunning are grossly overused in the tourism industry but the Southern Lakes region has a right to them all," Bennett said.
A variety of Southern Lakes landscapes set the scene as film locations for Peter Jackson's acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy.
International profile
Destination Queenstown chief executive Tony Everitt said featuring in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012 would bring significant benefits for the region’s international profile.
"Lonely Planet is a giant of the travel industry so making it onto their Top 10 must-visit regions for 2012 will give our region global recognition and provide inspiration for their readers to visit," Everitt said.
Destination Fiordland’s Lisa Sadler said the power of Lonely Planet could not be underestimated "so the news that Fiordland has been acknowledged, along with our Southern Lakes neighbours as amongst the world’s top 10 leading regions is superb."
Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager James Helmore said the region’s "diversity of activities, striking landforms and freedom to do your own thing in the ultimate alpine playground is the perfect fit for the Lonely Planet reader.
"Appearing in Best in Travel 2012 will considerably enhance our profile and allow more international travellers to discover what everyone who lives here is so passionate about," Helmore said.
Top 10 Regions
Queenstown and the Southern Lakes shares the Top 10 Regions list with destinations such as Borneo, Sicily, Northern Kenya and Coastal Wales which tops the 2012 list.
Best in Travel’s recommendations are drawn from hundreds of ideas submitted by Lonely Planet’s staff, authors and 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.
For further information on the Southern Lakes region visit: www.southernlakes.travel
More information
Fiordland
Lake Wanaka
Queenstown