Top travel rating for Tasmania

Tasmania has done it again, coming fifth in an international survey showcasing a “destination stewardship index’ conducted by National Geographic Traveler.

The researchers surveyed 200 specialists in sustainable tourism, destination stewardship, and related fields.

Tasmania scored 77 on a 100-point scale, being narrowly beaten by Cape Breton Island, Canada (78), South Island, New Zealand (78) and Torres del Paine, Chile (78). Norway’s fjords came in first with 82 points.

The panelists were asked:
For each destination that you are familiar with, assign an overall score on the 1-to-10 scale.
• Environmental and ecological quality.
• Social/cultural integrity.
• Condition of built heritage (archaeological, historic, and current structures).
• Aesthetic appeal, both natural and human-made.
• The nature of tourism development: To what degree is it of appropriate character? Does it benefit local people in a way that encourages protection of the locale? How well are tourists informed about the locale and their proper role in it?
• And, perhaps most important, the future outlook for the destination in terms of sustainability, taking into account all prevailing stewardship practices and policies.

The latest accolade follows a string of high ratings among international travellers. Tasmania was voted the best island in the South Pacific and number two in the world by readers of North America’s Travel + Leisure magazine in 2002, and Conde Nast voted Tasmania the best temperate island in 1999 and 2000.

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