Tasmania has been named the world’s most desirable island, beating the Bahamas’ Nassau and Paradise Island and Taiwan in a UK travel magazine’s annual reader awards.
The state took gold in the Most Desirable Island (World) category at the 2026 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, which drew more than 8.2 million votes from 251,461 readers.
The magazine highlighted Tasmania’s scenery, including Australia’s highest sea cliffs and the Tarkine, but said its “oft-overlooked cultural side” was what “caught the eye” of readers.
It pointed to the ruins of the state’s “brutal penal colonies”, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery’s ningina tunapri gallery, Georgian villages, distilleries and a “hip capital”, Hobart.
Tourism Minister Roger Jaensch said the award was a powerful endorsement of Tasmania’s appeal to international travellers.
“This award belongs to all the Tasmanians who work hard every day to create great experiences that people remember fondly long after they return home,” he said.
“To be recognised as the world’s most desirable island by travellers themselves is a remarkable achievement.”
Speaking at the launch of Tourism Tasmania’s latest Come Down For Air campaign yesterday, Jaensch said visitor numbers had reached a record 1.42 million, about 6% above pre-COVID levels, with visitors spending about $3.8 billion a year.
He said the government invested about $30 million a year in Tourism Tasmania and the visitor economy supported one in six Tasmanian jobs.
Australia also featured in other categories, ranking sixth for Most Desirable Country (World), fifth for adventure and third for nature and wildlife.
Sydney placed fourth among the world’s cities, while Queensland and South Australia ranked sixth and eighth among the world’s regions.
The result follows Bicheno, on the east coast, topping Australian Traveller’s 100 Best Towns list for 2026 in May, where it was also named the best emerging town.
