THE Scenic Rim has been ranked in the world’s top 10 regions to travel to in 2022 by Lonely Planet.

The iconic travel guide released its Best in Travel 2022 last Thursday, picking the top 10 countries, cities and regions to visit next year.

The Scenic Rim was Australia’s only inclusion among the 30 destinations, coming in at number eight in the Top 10 Regions category.

That list was topped by the Westfjords of Iceland and included locations such as Chile’s Atacama Desert, Vancouver Island in Canada, France’s Burgundy region and West Virginia in the United States.

Lonely Planet’s Chris Zeiher said the Scenic Rim had bounced 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 [one] 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.”

Mr Zeiher said what struck him about the Scenic Rim were 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,” he said.

“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."

The Lonely Planet highlighted Binna Burra Mountain Lodge and O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, Australia’s newest Great Walk in The Scenic Rim Trail by Spicers as well as ecolodges Nightfall Wilderness Camp and Mt Barney Lodge.

Among the businesses showcasing local produce were Summer Land Camels, the Scenic Rim Farm Box, Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm.

Scenic Rim Regional Council Mayor Greg Christensen applauded the people who had “created and keep creating” the experiences and infrastructure that had drawn “the eyes of the world to our region”.

“This is a region of plenty, of rugged ranges, valleys, winding roads and the most welcoming people in the world,” he said.

“It’s the region of flavour makers, growers, farmers, foodies and taste-chasers, of path-makers and of forward thinking people who have worked to create visitor experiences that are unique, authentic, educational and sustainable, and have persisted during even the most tumultuous and challenging times.”

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022 writes that the Scenic Rim “isn’t just about rainforest adventures – first-time visitors might be surprised by the diversity of attractions to be found here”.

“On the eastern fringe of the region, just 30 minutes from the heart of the Gold Coast, the misty slopes of Mount Tamborine town are packed with cafes, cellar doors and galleries; while just an hour from Brisbane, on the northern edge of the Scenic Rim, lies hatted restaurant Homage, which specialises in creative paddock-to-plate fare,” it reads.

“In the heart of the region, you can sip on a craft beer in a heritage general-store-turned brewery while tucking into the best Dutch-German bar food this side of Berlin. Stock up on lavender products (or wine) at nearby Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm before heading to Summer Land Camels, where the Persian camel-milk feta might just change your life.”

“Perfect for a long-weekend road trip, the Scenic Rim is dotted with epic landscapes and charming country towns offering a tasty slice of rural life, with cracking Queensland hospitality in plentiful supply too.”

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022

Top 10 Countries


1. Cook Islands


2. Norway


3. Mauritius


4. Belize


5. Slovenia


6. Anguilla


7. Oman


8. Nepal

9. Malawi


10. Egypt

Top 10 Regions


1. Westfjords, Iceland


2. West Virginia, USA


3. Xishuangbanna, China


4. Kent’s Heritage Coast, UK


5. Puerto Rico


6. Shikoku, Japan


7. Atacama Desert, Chile


8. The Scenic Rim, Australia


9. Vancouver Island, Canada


10. Burgundy, France

Top 10 Cities


1. Auckland, New Zealand


2. Taipei, Taiwan


3. Freiburg, Germany


4. Atlanta, USA


5. Lagos, Nigeria


6. Nicosia/Lefkosia,Cyprus


7. Dublin, Ireland


8. Merida, Mexico


9. Florence, Italy


10. Gyeongju, South Korea