Jim Eagles: How about a holiday at home?

A few years ago there was an extremely effective advertising campaign to promote domestic tourism with the slogan, "Don't leave town till you've seen the country."

I wouldn't go so far as to advocate not going overseas at all until you've seen the whole of the country - New Zealand is such a youthful, small, isolated and homogenous place that it does us good to experience the wider world - but the slogan did make a valid point.

It does seem to be a standard human trait to take for granted those things we have close to home and to assume that anything overseas is bound to be better.

It's not uncommon for New Zealanders doing their OE to find they've seen more of the British Isles than the natives.

But it's not unusual, either, to meet visitors to New Zealand who have seen more of our country than we have.

On an individual basis, that's a source of embarrassment.

And, on a national basis, it represents the loss of an opportunity to strengthen our national identity and, often, the loss of money which might have been more advantageously spent on holidays at home.

The fact that increasing numbers of overseas visitors are flocking here - 2.3 million in the past year - should alert us to the fact that the rest of the world does think we have a lot worth seeing.

That foreign admiration of New Zealand has been underlined by the fact that in the latest Guardian-Observer UK Travel Awards New Zealand was voted the best long-distance destination and in the 2004 Conde Nast Awards New Zealand was named as the third best country to visit.

Over the past few years I've had to take a few friends and relations from overseas down the standard tourist route - Bay of Islands, Auckland, Waitomo, Rotorua, Taupo, Tongariro National Park - and I've been impressed at how professional most of our tourist operators have become and at how enthusiastic my visitors were.

Perhaps, more to the point, I've been amazed at how much I enjoyed the experience.

Had it not been for those foreigners who had to be entertained, I doubt I would have once again taken the ferry to Russell, gone through the glow worm caves, had a Maori cultural experience or wandered round Whakarewarewa's bubbling mudpools.

How many New Zealanders, I wonder, have actually tried those experiences which for lots of foreigners are among the highlights of a world trip?

Yet it's great fun and, when you see how rapt the overseas tourists are, a source of great national pride.

Better still, it's not just the fabulous scenery that overseas visitors become ecstatic about, it's also the food and wine, the tourist experiences, the hospitality and, mostly, the standard of service as well.

Seeing our country through others' eyes can lead to a greater appreciation of what a wonderful place it really is.

And, of course, there's a lot more to New Zealand than the main tourist route.

As our New Zealand Magic competition has demonstrated over the past few days there are amazing places everywhere.

Every one of the suggestions readers have put forward such as Mangawhai Spit, Pupu Springs in Golden Bay, Nikau Cave near Raglan, Ti Point, Whatipu, Gold Mount near Whangamata, Elliotts Beach, Marlborough Sounds, Tararua Ranges, Ahipara, the western bays of Lake Taupo, Okarito, Ruapehu, Duder's Regional Park, White Island, Musick Point - the list goes on and on - is worth visiting.

But, even though many of those places are just round the corner, how many of us have seen even a few of them?

So, by all means, do leave town. Enjoy the marvellous diversity the world has to offer.

But don't forget to see the country as well. There's a lot more to be enjoyed than you might think.

A good starting point would be to cut out the New Zealand Magic articles, then go to see the places mentioned for yourself.