Australia is still top of the pops

Australia has been voted as the destination travellers most want to visit on their next trip, according to new survey results.

The survey which was conducted by international travel guide company, Lonely Planet, questioned more than 33,000 people in 170 different countries around the world.

This is the second year in a row that Australia has taken the top spot in the Lonely Planet's survey.

However, second and third places which had previously gone to Brazil and Chile, have this year been taken by the United States and Thailand.

Scott Morrison, Tourism Australia managing director, commented: "Young travellers are a key high yield market, with their high dispersal and length of stay delivering immediate economic benefit to regional, rural and remote communities around Australia.

"We will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that these young people continue to make Australia their number one destination in the world."

Three in four of the survey respondents were female and the predominant age range of those who replied was between 18 and 24.

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