A surprising Australian region has managed to beat the Maldives in a highly competitive global list of the best travel destinations for 2027.
Lonely Planet has today unveiled their Best in Travel 2027 list, a collection of 50 incredible destinations and unforgettable global experiences selected by a team of travel experts.
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New South Wales’ The Tweed came in at fifth place on their list of the Top 25 Destinations and was the only Aussie place on the list, beating other spots in Maldives (six), Italy (12), New Zealand (14) and Spain (15).
Japan’s Okinawa region took this year’s top spot, followed by New Mexico, USA in second place and Sibenik, Croatia in third.
Vietnam’s Da Nang came fourth, narrowly beating The Tweed by just one spot.
Chris Zeiher, senior director of Global Trade Sales & Marketing Lonely Planet, told news.com.au that The Tweed could sometimes “fly under the radar” despite having so much to offer tourists.
“You’ve got outdoor adventure, fantastic food, beautiful landscapes, and these wonderfully laid-back towns that almost forces you to slow down,” Mr Zeiher said.
“What really stood out for us was the variety The Tweed offers.
“You can be out cycling or hiking in the morning, enjoying some brilliant local food in the afternoon, and then finish the day in one of the regions relaxed little towns.
“The Tweed is one of those places that gives you plenty to do but also gives you permission to do absolutely nothing.”
Despite being positioned between two significant tourism hotspots — Byron Bay and the Gold Coast – Mr Zeiher said that The Tweed was “much more relaxed and chilled”, offering travellers the perfect “switch off” type of holiday.
On Lonely Planet’s other list of their 25 Top Travel Experiences, immersing yourself in art at Australia’s Red Centre came in at number 21.
“Lonely Planet has always loved the Red Centre, and I’m personally really excited to see it on our Best in Travel list again,” Mr Zeiher said.
“This time, we’re encouraging travellers to look at the region through a different lens, through its extraordinary ancient and modern art and storytelling.
“You can experience Wintjiri Wiru at Yulara, the world’s first permanent drone show which brings the ancient Mala story to life in the night sky, visit Bruce Munro’s newly established Light-Towers at Kings Canyon or, in mid-April, head to Alice Springs for Parrtjima — the incredible Aboriginal-led Festival of Light.
“A trip into the Red Centre is so rewarding and so few Aussies do it. Make 2027 the year you change that.”
Anna Dakin, Owner of Art Tours Australia, said that the Red Centre being recognised in the list was a “real honour”.
“Central Australia is a moving place to visit,” she said.
“These landscapes hold profound energies, and art is an excellent way to connect to them, whether that’s spending time making your own art outdoors or digging deep into Aboriginal art and the layered stories and culture held within it.
“Art is such an important part of this region, it’s a way of connecting visitors with Country, culture, stories, and the incredible creativity of Aboriginal artists. We are at the creative heart of Australia.”
The Lonely Plant’s Best of Travel list has been running for the past 19 years and is split into “Destinations” and “Experiences”.
“It reaches hundreds of millions of potential travellers around the world and because the list is independently selected, it can be a pretty powerful endorsement for the destinations that make the cut,” Mr Zeiher said.
“We split Best in Travel into two lists, Destinations and Experiences, and there’s an important difference between the two.
“An experience is really about those moments that make a trip memorable. It’s something you do, rather than simply somewhere you go.
“That could be an incredible food experience, a train journey, a hike, a festival, a homestay or a bike trail.
“It’s not necessarily about getting that perfect Instagram shot. It’s about doing something that feels authentic to that destination and that you really couldn’t replicate anywhere else. They’re the experiences you come home talking about and telling your friends about years later.
“A destination, on the other hand, is somewhere we think has a really compelling reason to visit right now.
“It might be underrated or overlooked, somewhere that’s emerging in an interesting way, or even a well-known destination where there’s another side that travellers perhaps haven’t discovered yet.”
Mr Zeiher explained that the list is divided by a talented team of travel experts who work together to come up with the final top 50.
“At Lonely Planet, the heart of what we do is to recommend destinations and experiences to our readers,” he said.
“Our annual Best in Travel list distils the essence of that. Our network of 450 writers spread around the world, together with our global team of editors, were asked to reflect on recent travel experiences that truly moved them, resonating long after the trip ended.
“A core panel of Lonely Planet staff debated all entries, to come up with a balanced final list of 50.
“In that list is a mix of places and travel experiences, grounded in first-hand insights. And at the core of each is a writer either sharing why a travel experience was life changing for them, or else explaining how they discovered somewhere that feels fresh, or a different side to a well-known destination.”