Where do photo enthusiasts dream of going for those once-in-a-lifetime photos? The Plains of Africa’s Serengeti? The mystical Asian Silk Road? Timbuktu?

According to parallel surveys conducted by Popular Photography & Imaging magazine (Pop Photo) and the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) – which represents 125 of the top vacation packagers serving U.S. and worldwide destinations – a plurality of photo buffs most want to go to Hawaii, followed closely by Alaska, and Australia. For these areas, USTOA members provided corresponding suggestions on the best places to shoot. Recommendations were: Haleakala National Park on Hawaii’s Maui Island, Denali National Park in Alaska, and the Outback or Tasmania in Australia.

More than 9,200 readers of Pop Photo, the world’s largest photography magazine, completed the survey, which ran on the magazine’s website (popphoto.com). Following are respondents’ top-ranking subjects for travel photography in each of four categories, along with best destination suggestions from USTOA members.

Nature

Scenery

Architecture

People

Additional Findings

89% of Pop Photo respondents consider taking photos on vacation either extremely important (58%) or very important (31%). 55 % of USTOA respondents ranked photography as extremely important; 35% very important.

45% of Pop Photo respondents believe that the most critical element in choosing a vacation is knowing where and when to get the best shots in a particular location. 37% cited having ample time to shoot as key to a successful trip, while USTOA members were almost equally divided between the key factors of having ample time and knowing when and where to photograph.

The importance of photography to vacationers is illustrated by a recent Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) survey, which cited that nearly 45% of adults who traveled in the last year purchased new cameras or equipment for their trip.

According to Bob Whitley, USTOA President, “Many of today’s tours and vacation packages offer a photo-friendly way to travel. Escorted tour guides and local guides are excellent sources for the best places and times to photograph.”

John Owens, editor in chief of Pop Photo, believes “photography and travel are inseparable. Sure, it’s fun to take photos on vacation. But, perhaps the best comes when you get home and you can relive the memories anytime you look at the photos.”

For survey results, plus full information on tours and vacation packages to “dream photo destinations” and other worldwide locations, log onto www.ustoa.com. Here, prospective travelers can search for tours and vacation packages by destination as well as by activity. Also on the website is the USTOA Vacation Personality Quiz, designed by psychologists to help travelers identify the best type of tour or package for them.

USTOA member companies, all of whom have met the travel industry’s highest standards, account for the vacations of 10 million travelers annually. For a free copy of USTOA’s “Smart Traveler’s Planning Kit,” phone 1-800-GO-USTOA (468-7862).