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The world's best countries — according to you
The world's best countries — according to you

Times

time2 days ago

  • Times

The world's best countries — according to you

Which airline, cruise operator, travel company or hotel gets gold in the Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards has nothing to do with us, or the industry. Those decisions are entirely up to you — and the most important gong of them all goes to the best country, because it's always the destination, rather than the means of transport or the accommodation, that we choose first. It really doesn't matter if you're a city-breaker, beach fanatic, mountain trekker or safari addict because, if you travel, then your knowledge, insight and passion is what we need. In return for your opinion we have ten fabulous prizes up for grabs, ranging from a trip on the Danube and a week for ten in a belle époque French château to a £20,000 expedition cruise to Antarctica and a £45,000, ten-night tour of India. So if you have a favourite country in mind, it's worth your while mentioning it. Nearly half a million votes were cast in 2024, and voting is now open for the 2025 awards — but before you click through to cast your vote, let's have a quick look at past winners in this category. In 2024 the best destination country was split into the categories of Europe and World, and was won by Italy and New Zealand, respectively. In 2023, when the best country was a single worldwide choice, Italy won, with New Zealand third after the UK; the two top spots had been claimed by the same countries the previous year. Let's think about that. There are 195 countries officially recognised by the UN, nine of which are red-listed by the UK Foreign Office and many more of which lack the infrastructure, marketing budget or desire to attract mainstream tourism. Nevertheless, I can think of at least 40 that count as mainstream holiday destinations — so why have just three countries dominated for the past three years? Are Italy, New Zealand and the UK truly the best? If you think so then you should vote for them. But if you believe that, say, France, Australia, Sri Lanka or Spain is better, then you need to step up and vote for that destination instead. Your favourite country needs you. As England's Lionesses recently discovered, Italy is a hard country to beat. It has art, culture, history, outstanding natural beauty and a seductively chaotic gioia di vivere. It also has barolo, negronis and amaro, and the food is alright too. • Discover our full guide to Italy As for New Zealand, you'll never know until you've been there that it's quite a bit more than a couple of islands off the coast of Australia. It's a land that combines the wines of South Africa, the landscapes of Patagonia and the sleepiness of Norfolk in a place I've heard one convert describe as 'the furthest you can get from London and the closest you can get to heaven'. And having just completed my annual circumnavigation of the country for the 17th edition of the annual Times and Sunday Times Best UK Beaches guide, I stand by my assertion that when the sun is shining, there is nowhere more beautiful than the British and Northern Irish coasts. But don't let me sway your opinion. • Revealed: the UK's 50 best beaches for 2025 According to research by YouGov, the top six European destinations for Britons in 2025 are — in descending order — Spain, the UK, Italy, Greece, France and Portugal. The best long-haul sellers, Kuoni says, are the Maldives, Thailand, Mauritius and Sri Lanka; despite some political reservations, the US is also having a great year. The Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards are an opportunity for you — the traveller, customer and explorer — to draw on your unique experiences and nominate the best in class across the travel industry. Voting takes just 17 clicks — categories three and five are for the best countries — and by doing so you'll be in with a chance to win your holiday for this or next year. And if you really think that Italy is better than Spain, I won't try and persuade you otherwise. • Have your say here — and be in with a chance of winning a great prize

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