India numero uno travel destination

Known for its incredible snake charmers and age-old monuments to the world of tourism, India has emerged as the numero uno travel destinations trailing beauties of Italy, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.

India's emergence to the top spot, over the fourth last year, was revealed by a survey conducted by a widely-read British magazine Conde Nest Traveller, which gives away Readers Travel Awards, considered to be the Oscar awards of the tourism industry.

"India was the 10th most preferred destination in 2004, the 4th in 2006 and is now at the top in 2007 and that is where we want to be," Union Tourism Minister Ambika Soni said while receiving the award at a glittering ceremony last night in London.

Conducted among the readers of the magazine that includes some of the most sophisticated and avid travellers across the world, the survey included a range of criteria for each category from 'range of accommodation' to 'environmental friendliness', the magazine said in a release.

In the April issue of the magazine, readers were asked for nominations for the worlds best hotels, spas, cities, airports, cruise lines and tour operators and to rate them. To discern their list of 'best of the best', each nomination was ranked to produce the world's Top 100 in each field