World's 'most beautiful country' spending £15.2bn on mega-project tourists will love

New Zealand has been voted as the most beautiful country on earth according to a poll by travellers.

Beating competition from the likes of Italy and Canada, the island nation famous for its Lord of the Rings scenery and proud cultural traditions made its way to the top of the rankings.

The poll, conducted by Rough Guides, found that the country’s world-renowned scenery and “diversity of landscapes” were the main factors that launched the country to the top of the rankings.

New Zealand is one of the few unique countries to be able to boast breath taking beaches and stunning mountain ranges, allowing travellers to undertake a wide variety of activities during their stay from hiking to surfing and bungee jumping to whale watching on offer.

Travellers in the years to come will also find it much easier to get about, as the government ploughs on with a transport infrastructure project that will see the Transport Ministry spend $1.16 billion (NZ$1.9 billion) improving transport links in the Bay of Plenty region, including resurfacing nearly 350km of state highways as well as general maintenance and pothole repairs. In total the government will spend the equivalent of £15.2billion.

Since the released of Lord of the Rings in 2001, no trip to New Zealand has been complete without a visit to the film’s set where fans are able to explore the best of Middle-earth.

The award comes as New Zealand contemplates its relationship with tourists in the face of damage being done its natural environment as a result of the industry.

The country recently announced that it is to almost triple its visitor tax to protect its natural environment and invest in public services.

The tax, which is currently NZ$35 (£16.50) is set to rise to NZ$100 (£47.15) from October 1.

The increase comes despite the fact that New Zealand’s tourist figures have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with the country registering just 84 percent of visitors in June compared to the same month in 2019.

The problem of overtourism is rising high on the agenda of authorities in many of the most popular tourist destinations across the world.

The move has been criticised, with some tourism bodies fearing that the tax could deter visitors from choosing the country as their holiday destination.

Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey said: “A $100 IVL would generally make up less than 3 per cent of the total spending for an international visitor while in New Zealand, meaning it is unlikely to have a significant impact on visitor numbers.”

The country narrowly beat Italy and Canada to top spot, whilst Switzerland and France completed the top 5.

The United Kingdom made it in at six, with the beauty of the Cotswolds and the Lake District complementing the history of cities such as London and Oxford according to respondents.