New Zealand safest destination, says British survey

LONDON - Britons who voted New Zealand the world's safest country would be even more inclined to do so since the World Trade Center attacks, says the editor of the magazine that ran the poll.

In a survey held in July, readers of Wanderlust put New Zealand on top of the Safest Country category, ahead of Australia and Canada.

That echoed results in last month's Conde Nast Traveller, in which New Zealand scored 94.7 per cent for safety - the highest in that survey, which was also held before the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Wanderlust editor Lyn Hughes told NZPA that the United States and Britain had scored in the top six safety in the same poll. She imagined they would not do so well now.

"Even more so now, New Zealand would be seen to be a very safe place," she said.

Tourism in both countries has suffered since the attacks, with Trans-Atlantic airlines hard-hit by a fall in passenger numbers.

Britons saw New Zealand as "hassle-free" country, she said.

"We also had a category which was top country, and New Zealand won that as well. They got 97.1 per cent satisfaction rating, which is stunning when you think about it.

"When British people go to New Zealand, it's very easy, very little hassle, very little crime on tourists - it's a country which really does live up to expectations, and probably surpasses them."

Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said it was great to see "positive results" for the industry at such an uncertain time.

"This is an accolade to be proud of and something the industry strives to achieve - and will continue to do so," he said in a statement.

New Zealand headed Nepal and Namibia to take the Top Country vote in the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2001 poll.

Wanderlust has a circulation of 35,500. More than 1600 readers, who had visited 180 countries and 557 cities, responded to the poll.

Other winners included: top city, Sydney; website, lonelyplanet.com; overseas airport, Changi, Singapore; airline, Singapore Airlines.

- NZPA