It’s easy for us Aussies to forget just how lucky we are to call this stunning country home. With beautiful beaches at our doorstep and lush national parks right in our backyard, we really are living the dream. And it turns out, the rest of the world is dreaming about heading Down Under too. Australia has just been crowned as the Most Desirable Country in the world for 2024, as voted by travellers in Wanderlust’s 23rd annual Reader Travel Awards.
This year, more than 3 million votes were cast by 168,000 readers across 22 different award categories, ranging from the most desirable country to the top city, region and island. For an impressive third time in four years, Australia claimed the title as the most desirable country on Earth – beating Canada, Japan, the USA and New Zealand.
Anyone who calls Australia home knows what an epic place it is to live, but also travel. Wanderlust says the sudden surge in global interest could be tied to “a steep rise in the availability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-run cultural tours and experiences. These have opened up new ways to see this ancient land, from exploring the Indigenous roots of iconic cities such as Sydney to venturing into the red desert of the Northern Territory and its 65,000 years of culture.”
While our native wildlife (hello spiders and snakes) might scare some travellers off, it’s also part of Australia’s unique charm. In fact, Australia was voted as the sixth Most Desirable Destination for Nature and Wildlife holidays in 2024. South Africa, the home of the safari, took out the top spot, while South American countries filled positions two to five. They might have the Amazon Rainforest, but we have the Daintree (fun fact: it's the oldest continually surviving rainforest in the world).
Australia is also making a name for itself on the global food map, securing its spot as the eighth Most Desirable Destination for Gastronomy in 2024. From waterfront institutions overlooking sparkling beaches to intimate dining rooms cut into the rolling countryside, our restaurants really do deliver. France took out gold in this category, followed by Italy, India and Japan – though we’d argue Australia serves up exceptional dishes across all those cuisines and more.
Australia had another podium finish in the world’s Most Desirable Region category, with Queensland ranking third behind the Galápagos Islands and American South. Our very own South Australia wasn’t far behind, clinching fifth. Sydney just missed out on a bronze medal in the Most Desirable City category, while Tasmania was voted as the fifth most sought-after island in the world. You can check out the full results here.
Here are the most desirable countries in the world for 2024:
- Australia
- Canada
- Japan
- USA
- New Zealand
- Costa Rica
- South Africa
- Brazil
- South Korea
- Peru