If you're trying to plan your winter vacation and are eager to books one of the many gorgeous Caribbean villas, you may want to book a trip to Turks and Caicos. These breathtaking islands, complete with white-sand beaches and bright blue oceans, have recently been recognized by the World Travel Awards (WTA). According to the Daily Mail, the WTA, which has been called the Oscars of travel, named Turks and Caicos the globe's leading beach destination.

Turks and Caicos beat out some extremely tough competition such as Cancun, Mexico; Cape Town, South Africa; Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana in Brazil; and the Maldives. These beautiful islands are not as well known as other popular Caribbean islands, but with this new honor, you can expect that more people will start to enjoy the perfect tropical location.

Even though some were surprised when they heard of this year's leading beach destination, members of the local tourist board believed the honor was a long time coming.

"This is further testament to what we here in the Turks and Caicos have known all along, and the world is beginning to find out. The beauty and tranquility of our archipelago is now center stage for all to see and we look forward to personally welcoming all," said Ralph Higgs, director of tourism for the islands.

Turks and Caicos is 550 miles southeast of Miami, Florida, and is made up of 40 small islands, only eight of which are inhabited. The WTA honor is not the only one the islands have received, as it has also been recognized as the number one beach and sun destination in the world in the TripAdvisor 2010 Travelers' Choice Awards.

Are you interested in luxury vacation rentals? Contact Villas of Distinction today at 800.289.0900 where a qualified villa expert will help you explore which luxury villa best suits your lifestyle.