NZ Herald Travel Readers’ Choice Awards 2026: Top five in 11 categories revealed
The NZ Herald has announced the top five winners of its 2026 Travel Readers’ Choice Awards across 11 categories. Queenstown was highlighted as the clear favorite destination among readers for its scenery and diverse activities.
Why it matters
These awards provide insight into current consumer travel trends and popular tourism destinations in New Zealand.
NZ Herald Travel Readers’ Choice Awards 2026: The winners can now be revealed.
You went, you saw, you commented. And now we’ve collected and collated thousands of responses and can name your favourite destinations, drives and experiences in the NZ Herald Travel Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, presented by Southern Cross Travel Insurance.
Today we’re announcing the top five vote-getters in all categories, including the Best International Destination, presented by Wendy Wu Tours.
We’ll be profiling many of these in more detail over the next week.
As we said when announcing our poll: “Kiwis are renowned for their love of travel, whether it’s the quintessential OE to Europe, the South Pacific family holiday, backpacking through Asia, the road trip through Australia or the US, or the long-awaited expedition cruise in retirement.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in