Lonely Planet 2022 travel guide names Scenic Rim in top 10 tourism spots

The global travel authority has listed cities and regions to visit next year, with the Scenic Rim the only Australian inclusion.

The 2022 edition focuses on the best sustainable travel experiences. The Scenic Rim is listed as number eight ahead of Canada's Vancouver Island and the Burgundy region in France.

The accolade comes as tourism in the Scenic Rim received a boost with events like the Scenic Rim Farm Gate Trail and Kalbar Country Day attracted thousands to the region.

With borders set to reopen, the Lonely Planet gong is great news for local tourism operators.

Mount Barney Lodge owner Innes Larkin said it was excellent that the Scenic Rim had been recognised for sustainable tourism practices.

"This is just telling us something that we already knew but it shines a light for tourism operators and now the rest of the world will know," he said.

"We have made the list alongside world class destinations like the Westfjords in Iceland and West Virginia in the US.

"We are absolutely within that world class ... it puts us in a really great spot."

Mr Larkin said even with setbacks from COVID-19 impact and border closures, many tourism operators within the Scenic Rim had flourished.

"Lots have done extremely well," he said.

"Many have pivoted and created a whole new product with things like the Scenic Rim Farmbox."

Lonely Planet's Chris Zeigler said resilience, hospitality and innovation were among qualities that made the region attractive to next year's international travellers.

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"After bouncing back from the 2019 Black Summer bushfires with a raft of new attractions and a renewed focus on sustainability, the Scenic Rim in Queensland is primed to become of Australia's low impact tourism power players," he said.

"It's such an untouched and diverse eco-based Australian destination. From the amazing food and wine to the incredible rainforest and bush walks and memorable places to stay, this is an unexpected pocket of Australia that has it all."

"The thing that has struck me about the Scenic Rim are its people.

"The hospitality you'll experience is off-the-scale... the community will invite you in and make you feel like a part of the family. It's a region that's a shining example of a connected community that's been forced to innovate in the face of serious adversity such as drought, fire and more recently COVID travel restrictions."

Highlights of the region noted by Lonely Planet include Binna Burra Mountain Lodge and O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, Australia's newest Great Walk in The Scenic Rim Trail by Spicers, ecolodges Nightfall Wilderness Camp and Mount Barney Lodge as well as the six national parks. Summer Land Camels, the Scenic Rim Farm Box and Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm all got a mention for showcasing local produce, while boutique wineries and craft breweries, farm stays and characters of the region were also highlighted.

Scenic Rim Regional Council Mayor Greg Christensen said being named in the Top 10 Regions in the world for 2022 was not undeserved.

"Lonely Planet is regarded as one of the most trusted sources for authentic travel information so to be recognised by them on an international stage is a major coup," he said.

"With the world overcoming lockdowns and restrictions, we know this announcement will put Scenic Rim on the map for domestic and international travellers already planning their next adventure and itching to explore, so this achievement couldn't have come at a better time.

"With an extensive vetting process to reach the Best in Travel, our region's commitment to sustainability and our eco-experiences were singled out as major drawcards for our region in helping travellers experience world-class natural landscapes while minimising their footprint.

"Looking forward, we are continuing to work closely with local industry and our range of partners to play to our strengths, including preparing an overhaul of the Visit Scenic Rim website, currently finalising our region's first Nature-based and Adventure Tourism Strategy and being one of only six regions in Australia partnering with Ecotourism Australia and WWF Australia to achieve ECO Destination Certification in the coming years.

"We may not have big multi-million-dollar budgets like some other destinations, but making Lonely Planet's Best in Travel will be a game-changer for our region and will catapult the Scenic Rim onto the international stage.

"We've been recognised for reasons that matter most - our unique experiences, spectacular landscapes, award-winning produce, commitment to low-impact and sustainable travel, and authentic customer service."

The top 10 list included: