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Telegraph | Expat | Dull charm of the British: "Dull charm of the British
By Sarah Womack, Social Affairs Correspondent
(Filed: 02/08/2005)

Britain is rated highly for its people, culture and the way it is governed, but is widely regarded as somewhat dull.

A poll of more than 10,000 people worldwide placed Britain as the fourth most popular out of 25 nations surveyed. Australia was ranked the world's favourite country, followed by Canada and Switzerland.

The latest quarterly Anholt-GMI Nations Brand Index asked how people viewed a nation's culture, people, and appeal as a place to migrate to, invest in or visit.

The first report, in May, gave Britain second place and, even though the survey has been expanded from 10 to 25 states, Britain remains in the top five, while the US is no longer in the top 10.

However, despite its high ranking, the global panellists used a single word to sum up the experience of visiting the UK - 'predictable'. By comparison, Australia is perceived as 'exciting' and ranked the most popular place to visit. Britain came seventh in this category.

Britain scored well on culture and good governance. As a nation brand, Britain's greatest asset continues to be that its people are perceived positively. They came third for friendliness and hospitality and second for the nationality a panellist would most prefer to employ."