Readers’ Choice Awards 2016

We asked and you definitely answered! In fact, thousands of you, our well-travelled readers, shared what you’re loving right now when it comes to travel: your favourite destinations, the accommodation you prefer and the adventures you are dreaming of taking all around this wonderful world.

Reading through the myriad answers we received filled us with renewed wanderlust. We hope it does the same for you, too. 

Best country in the world to travel in…

1. Italy

2. USA
3. France
4. New Zealand
5. Canada
6. Vietnam
7. Japan
8. Thailand
9. England
10. Turkey

HONOURABLE MENTIONS TO:
Spain, Greece, Cambodia, India, Switzerland, Ireland and Peru

Fancy a romantic getaway in the Tuscan countryside?
Stay in an exquisite villa like the one pictured with the help of an ATAS accredited travel agent.
Find your local agent at ATAS.com.au

Best place for an expedition

1. Antarctica

2. African safari
3. Vietnam (Mekong)
4. China
5. New Zealand

HONOURABLE MENTION TO:
Nepal (Everest Base Camp)

Find your ultimate expedition with advice from an ATAS-accredited travel agent. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best beachy island holiday

1. Fiji

2. Hawai‘i
3. Bali / Thailand
5. Tahiti
6. Vanuatu
7. Cook Islands
8. Greek Islands
9. Mauritius
10. Philippines

YOU ALSO LOVE:
Isle of Pines, Samoa, Langkawi, Penang, Zanzibar, Sri Lanka, Croatia

Chase the sun and surf in Fiji. Your local ATAS-accredited travel agent can help you plan the perfect fly-and-flop holiday.
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best place to get close to wildlife

1. South Africa

2. Kenya
3. Canada
4. Botswana
5. Tanzania
6. Alaska
7. Galápagos
8. Borneo
9. Costa Rica

It’s hard to know which safari will suit you best, but an ATAS-accredited travel agent can give you advice.
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best place for a family getaway

1. Fiji

2. Disneyland
3. Bali
4. Hawai‘i
5. New Zealand

THE KIDS ALSO LOVE:
USA, Thailand, cruising, Singapore

Packing up the kids and jet-setting across the world can be daunting. That’s where an ATAS-accredited travel agent comes in very handy. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best place to get your ski on

1. New Zealand

2. Japan
3. Canada
4. USA
5. Switzerland

HONOURABLE MENTION TO:
Dubai, with one vote

A skiing holiday can be expensive, but an ATAS-accredited travel agent can find you the best deal on a package that includes accommodation, ski passes, ski hire and more.
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best place for a short break

1. Singapore

2. Paris
3. New York
4. London
5. Bangkok
6. Bali
7. Auckland
8. Hawai‘i
9. Queenstown
10. Dubai

HONOURABLE MENTIONS TO:
Barcelona, Rome, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Kuala Lumpur, Japan, Venice

For your short holiday, an ATAS-accredited travel agent at ATAS.com.au will know the most central hotels so you don’t waste your time.

Best road trip…

1. Route 66, USA

2. West Coast USA, with a hefty contribution from the Pacific Coast Highway drive between Los Angeles and San Francisco
3. USA
4. New Zealand, especially the South Island
5. Canada

WE’RE INTRIGUED BY:
The drive from Tehran to northern Iran that someone mentioned

Don’t hire a lemon for your dream drive. Instead, hire an ATAS-accredited travel agent who can organise it all for you.
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best place for food and wine

1. France

2. Italy
3. Spain
4. New Zealand
5. Singapore
6. Thailand
7. Greece

Champagne, chocolate and cheese; the perfect ingredients for a fabulous holiday. Let an ATAS-accredited travel agent show you the best food trails. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best train journey you love

1. Canadian Rockies
(The Rocky Mountaineer)

2. The Trans-Siberian Railway
3. The Orient Express
4. Switzerland, any journey, any time
5. The Blue Train, South Africa (Cape Town to Pretoria)

YOU ALSO LOVE:
The Shinkansen in Japan, but we like the sound of the Palace on Wheels in Rajasthan, India

Find the most exciting way to get from A to B with your ATAS-accredited travel agent. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best destination for adventure

1. New Zealand
(with the focus on Queenstown)

2. Africa
3. South America
4. USA
5. Canada
6. South Africa
7. Thailand
8. Nepal
9. Peru
10. Antarctica

Find the most adventurous things to do with your ATAS-accredited travel agent. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best destination to get off the beaten track

1. Antarctica

2. Iceland
3. Africa
4. Cambodia / Myanmar
6. New Zealand
7. Vietnam
8. Nepal
9. Borneo
10. Peru

YOU WANT TO GO WHERE?
The islands of Norway, Altyn Arashan Valley in Kyrgyzstan, the Amazon, Albania, Namibia, Honduras

An epic adventure to Antarctica requires the expertise of an ATAS accredited travel agent. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best destination to go cruising

1. Alaska

2. The Mediterranean
3. European rivers
4. The Northwest Passage of Canada and Alaska
5. The Caribbean
6. Antarctica
7. The Pacific
8. Greek islands
9. The Mekong

AND WHEN IT COMES TO CRUISE LINES…
P&O, Princess, Royal Caribbean, APT, Carnival, Celebrity, Scenic

With endless cruise lines to choose from, your ATAS-accredited travel agent will know which one’s best for you. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best airline

1. QANTAS

2. Emirates
3. Singapore
4. Virgin
5. Etihad

CATCHING UP FAST:
Qatar Airways

The cheapest days to fly, extra leg room, special meals, the difference in classes… only your ATAS-accredited travel agent is an expert in all things airfares.
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best airport in the world

1. Singapore Changi

2. Hong Kong International
3. Heathrow
4. Bangkok
5. Kuala Lumpur

Did you know Singapore’s Changi airport has a 12-metre slide which is free when you spend $10 in the airport. For more industry insights ask an ATAS-accredited travel agent. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best stopover destination

1. Singapore

2. Hong Kong
3. Dubai
4. Kuala Lumpur
5. London

Heading on a long-haul flight? Your ATAS-accredited travel agent can plan the perfect pit-stop for you en route so you arrive holiday-ready. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best luxury hotel

1. Raffles, Singapore

2. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
3. Burj Al Arab, Dubai
4. The Peninsula, Hong Kong
5. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Canada

THE BRANDS YOU LIKE:
Hilton, Sofitel, Fairmont, Sheraton, Hyatt

Enjoy first-class service from the very beginning. Have an ATAS-accredited travel agent look after all your accommodation needs. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Best family accommodation

1. Disney Resorts

2. Club Med
3. Castaway Island Fiji
4. Hilton Hawaiian Village

Kids can be fussy – but your ATAS-accredited travel agent knows all the best places to stay and things to do so you create amazing family holiday memories. 
Visit ATAS.com.au

Travel agency of the year

WINNER:

New South Wales
Queanbeyan City Travel & Cruise

FINALISTS:

ACT
Weston Cruise & Travel

South Australia
Kingscote Travel

Tasmania
Home Travel Company

Victoria
Meridian Travel

Western Australia
italktravel Hillarys

Queensland
Discover Travel & Cruise

Head to ATAS.com.au to find these ATAS-accredited travel agencies or the nearest one to you and start planning your next holiday.

Your ultimate destination for travel…

Europe

…with a big contribution from Italy and France, of course!

YOU ALSO FANCY:
Antarctica, Canada, Africa, New York, Iceland, Alaska, the Maldives

An ATAS travel agent can handle every aspect of your travel – from tickets to transfers to accommodation to tours and give you need-to-know advice.
For a quality, trusted accredited agent visit ATAS.com.au