The Isle of Wight has narrowly missed out on being crowned Most Desirable Island in Europe in the prestigious Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards.

The ceremony last night (Weds 6 November 2024) at The Tate Modern hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall, saw the Isle of Wight face tough competition from 23 other island destinations including Orkney, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Tenerife.

After a competition which saw 3.6 million votes cast across a number of categories, the title of ‘Most Desirable Island in Europe’ went to Malta.

Will Myles, MD at Visit Isle of Wight said:

“Congratulations to Malta, the winners of the Wanderlust Most Desirable Island in Europe award.

“We’d like to thank everyone who voted for the Isle of Wight.

“To have been nominated, standing side-by-side with some of the best islands in Europe, was in itself a fantastic achievement, recognising the Isle of Wight as truly one of the best.

“While the Isle of Wight may not have come top this time around, we know that the Island continues to hold a special place in the hearts of those who have visited and for those yet to make their first short trip across the water, we can’t welcome you to these shores and show what all the fuss is about!”

Wanderlust is the UK’s leading travel magazine and is available in over 70 countries, with a website that attracts over 12 million visitors a year, with over 180,000 social media followers.

The magazine is particularly focused on sustainable travel, one of the key themes of Visit Isle of Wight, as well as producing articles that cover authentic experiences that include nature, wildlife, culture and history.