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Australia tops travellers 'wish' list

BRITISH backpackers and independent travellers have singled out Australia as the destination they most want to visit next.

And the USA, in second place in a poll by guidebook company Lonely Planet, has soared in popularity, having failed to make the top 10 in a similar survey last year.

The third most popular destination this year is Thailand, followed by Spain, New Zealand, India and Italy.

In a Lonely Planet poll last year, Brazil and Chile were second and third behind number one Australia.

But in this year's survey, no South American country made it into the top 10.

Lonely Planet travel information manager Tom Hall said: "There has definitely been a surge in people travelling to the `old favourites', countries such as the United States, Spain, Italy and Greece.

"These destinations have always been popular with Brits but factors such as cheaper air travel and the accessibility of long-haul destinations has meant that people have been travelling further afield. Fashionable destinations come and go but the classics remain."

These are the countries UK respondents plan to visit next:

1. Australia

2. United States

3. Thailand

4. Spain

5. New Zealand

6. India

7. Italy

8. Greece

9. Canada

10. Egypt

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