Lonely Planet recommends travel to New Zealand for 2010

Perennial favourite New Zealand joins El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia and Morocco along with Nepal, Portugal, Suriname and the US.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive said: “New Zealand's ability to continue to compete with hot new destinations is a testament to the country's desire to deliver a great tourism experience, its innovation in creating new tourism products and its drive to improve its environmental performance”.

In some cases, visitors may not need to apply for a New Zealand Visitor Visa to travel to New Zealand for tourism purposes. However, it is recommended travellers review their eligibility and travel plans and apply for the New Zealand Visitor Visa promptly, if needed, to avoid travel delays.

The New Zealand Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their New Zealand visa.