Travel World Cup: Switzerland battles Brazil for supremacy, but it's all over for Serbia

Switzerland has blown its rivals out of the water in the latest group stage of the Telegraph Travel World Cup, hosted on Twitter.

The small European nation grabbed 38 per cent of the vote, leaving Brazil trailing in its wake with 30 per cent. The two destinations qualify for the knock-out stages of the social media tournament, with both likely confident of proceeding into the latter rounds.

Sadly, for the holiday nations of Serbia and Costa Rica, their tournament is over, with the latter missing out by just four percentage points to its Latin American neighbour.

How did Switzerland win it?

It’s not for nothing that the relatively small central European country receives some 10.4 million visitors a year.

From its high-end ski resorts to lung-reviving alpine spas, the country also has a reputation for an excellent quality of life. In 2015 it was named the world’s happiest country.

Then there’s the chocolate - no one does it like the Swiss - the trains - which run like a Swiss clock - and, of course, the clocks themselves.

Beyond the mountains, of which there are many, there are cities such as Zurich and Lausanne, and the lakes of Constance, Thun and Geneva, which inspired Mary Shelley to write Frankenstein.

In Lucerne, travellers find a town in the mountains where Queen Victoria once visited in the wake of her husband’s death to find solace among the scenery.

Is Brazil a deserving second place?

The gigantic South American nation welcomes 6.6 million visitors a year, with many heading to the bright lights of Rio de Janeiro.

Our expert Chris Moss recommends a longer tour to take in as much as the country as possible in one go, describing the country as being big as a continent.

“Rio offers its televised extravaganza, in parallel with hundreds of samba parties around the city; Salvador offers amore local, ethnically rich Afro-tinged spectacle, famous for its trio eletrico sound-system floats and musical blocos, or culturalgroups,” he says, of Telegraph Travel’s nine-day itinerary. “Secondly, Brazil is about biodiversity, and any holiday should tap at least the surface of the wonders that inhabit the green heart of the country.”

Costa Rica, also known as one of the happiest countries in the world, has been enticing more and more British travellers recently, thanks to new direct flights from British Airways, but it seems the popularity is yet to fully flourish.

Serbia, huddled down in the Balkans, should be disappointed with it share of the vote, taking only six per cent. The nation’s capital, Belgrade, is regarded as one of the best year-round party cities on the Continent.

Who’s up next?

In Group F, Germany, Mexico, Sweden and South Korea will battle it out for a place in the knock-out stages. It’s a tough group, with each boasting its own brand of travel experience.

The poll is above, or follow all the action via the hashtag, #TravelWorldCup. Good luck one and all.