Take A Bow New Zealand

The secret's out. Again. At the recent Telegraph Travel Awards, New Zealand has been named the world's best country.

This is one of the largest travel surveys of its kind, and more than 90,000 had their say on what they viewed as the hottest spots on the planet. This is the third year running that New Zealand has won best-country honours. The Maldives and Sounth Africa were runners up in the best country category. 

Prime Minister John Key sys the win is "a great accolade. Tourism forms a significant part of our economy," he said. "We believe one of the real strengths of the tourism experience in New Zealand is that it lives up to the hype. Too often people go to a destination where ultimately it is never as good as the brochure, whereas in New Zealand we think people come and get an experience that is better than the brochure."

The Government had invested an unprecedented $600 million in tourism and tourism promotion since 2008, he said. 

This is the third year running that New Zealand has won best-country honours. 

The Telegraph's Ben Ross said the land of the long white cloud delivers almost everything a traveller could want in one easy-to-use package. "British tourists can enjoy the thrill of long-haul travel, coupled with the reassurance of being greeted in our native tongue – albeit spoken with that characteristic twang. It also thrusts dramatic scenery at us, wherever we turn."

When asked to pick their favourite spots in the best country in the world, travellers chose Milford Sound and the volcanoes of Tongariro National Park.