NZ | Travel + Tourism

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Tutukaka among the top 3 rated coastlines in the world

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New Zealand - Tutukaka Coast, Whale Bay by vtveen, on Flickr

The Tutukaka Coast is one of the top three coastlines in the world, according to the prestigious National Geographic Traveler. The coastline was named equal second best with the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales and pipped for the top spot by the remote, austere Avalon coast on Canada's Newfoundland. Local tourism operators say money could not buy the kudos given Tutukaka Coast by the magazine's finding. New Whangarei District Council member Jeroen Jongejans - co-owner and founder of award winning Dive! Tutukaka, chairman of the Tourism Development Group and Northland Conservation Board member - said there was no doubt it would benefit the district.

"The biggest message to take from Traveler's high ranking is its confidence in the sustainability of this destination," Mr Jongejans said. Further development must not impact negatively on ecological, scenic and cultural values, and must built on relationships between iwi and business that created jobs, he said. "We need everyone to be more aware of the jewel we have and the potential to create an exciting and sustainable economy based on it." In their summaries, several Traveler panelists expressed concern about the cultural status given to or demanded by iwi.

"Physical and environmental heritage is likely to stay intact. I worry for the cultural more. Early Maori fortified villages or 'pa' should receive more conservation attention," wrote one. The ranking should lure more domestic and international visitors, Mr Jongejans said. At present 75 per cent of tourists to New Zealand arrive in Auckland but only 17 per cent come to Northland. Great Barrier Island was rated in 15th place by Traveler, and was the only other New Zealand location on the list of 99. Traveler editor Jonathan B. Tourtellot said it was "not a popularity contest".

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Wellington is The coolest little capital in the world.

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Wellington, New Zealand by Eddie1974, on Flickr

Move over London, Rome and Paris – Wellington is the world's coolest capital city. Lonely Planet has named our capital the fourth best city in which to travel in the world, behind New York, Tangier and Tel Aviv. It is the first time a New Zealand city has made it into the annual Best in Travel publication – a collection of the world's best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences. In the sixth edition, released today, the publication refers to Wellington under the banner of "coolest little capital in the world". Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive David Perks said sharing the top five with cities such as New York and Tel Aviv was priceless recognition. "To have Lonely Planet – a global brand respected for frank opinions and having its finger on the pulse – come out and refer to Wellington as the `coolest little capital in the world' and among the top 10 cities you must visit for 2011 is quite simply incredible."

It is perfect timing for the city as businesses prepare for an action-packed calendar in 2011. About 85,000 international visitors are expected in New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup. Other highlights include the third Visa Wellington On a Plate in August and an extended season of the Montana World of WearableArt show, which will lead into the World Cup kickoff. In November, the city is hosting hundreds of writers for the Society of American Travel Writers conference. Prime Minister John Key said Wellington was a great place to live, and even put a positive spin on our notorious wind. "Actually I thoroughly enjoy going around the harbour when it's blustery and windy. It has a kind of New Zealand feel to it.

"For all the hard time Wellington gets about its weather, I think it adds to the dimension of the place that it has quite a good feel to it in that regard." However, asked if he preferred it to Auckland, he replied: "That's a big stretch." Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown, who moved to Wellington from Britain in 1983, said she thought Wellington's strength lay in the combination of "wilderness" and city living. "You don't have to choose arts or sports, or between culture or wilderness, because it's all there." Lonely Planet, the world's biggest travel guide company, has sold millions of copies of hundreds of titles since it began in 1972.

[Linguine]

marvelous pics.....lovely beach/cove.......

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Originally Posted by Linguine

marvelous pics.....lovely beach/cove.......

Thanks

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Poor Knights Islands one of the world's top nature sites

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Dive Buddy - Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand by Matt001, on Flickr

The Poor Knights Islands off the Northland coast have been declared one of the top 10 places to see nature at its finest. The Guardian newspaper reported Emmy Award-winning director and producer of wildlife documentaries Nick Stringer had included the Poor Knights in the Bay of Islands on his list of the world's 10 best places to see nature. The Poor Knights were listed in ninth place. Stringer said he was in the Bay of Islands for only a few days but it was a memorable visit. He said it was not hard to see why Jacques Cousteau rated it one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. It was a journey well worth making.

His list of the world's top 10 places to get the best of nature was:

1.
Kalahari Desert, Namibia, for big cats and meerkats.

2.
The Danum Valley, Borneo, for orangutans and gibbons.

3.
Shark Bay, Western Australia, for wild dolphins and dugongs.

4.
Yellowstone National Park, for grizzly bears, moose and wolves.

5.
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, for tree-climbing lions, elephants and hippos.

6.
West coast of Scotland for bird watching.

7.
Al Hajar Mountains, Oman, for mountain life and endemic species.

8.
Canaima National Park, Venezuela, for the adventurous.

9.
Poor Knights Islands for divers.

10.
South Downs, England, for appreciating wildlife in your back garden.

National Geographic Traveller named the Tutukaka Coast one of the top three coastlines in the world.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Hilton signs Queenstown deal

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Ducks, Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown by Stupie, on Flickr

Hilton Worldwide has announced the signing of management agreements for two new-build Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties in Queenstown. The signing of these agreements marks the brand's entry into the town and expands the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio in New Zealand to four hotels. The development will include a 178-room 5-star hotel to be named Hilton Queenstown and a 4-star hotel, featuring 98 one-bedroom apartment-style rooms, to be known as the "Kawarau Hotel, Managed by Hilton". Construction on both hotels is well underway with completion expected next year.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Rotorua lodge among world's best honeymoon spots

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Winter Sunrise by jillybeanknits, on Flickr

First it was one of the top 10 places to propose. Now Rotorua's Lake Okareka Lodge has gone a step further and been named one of the top 10 honeymoon destinations in the world. It is ranked among the top with hotels from France, Italy and Dubai. Australian website hotelscombined.com compiled the Top 10 Honeymoon Destinations from a range of hotels from 220 countries around the world and Lake Okareka Lodge was placed at number 6. In January this year, the lodge was also named one of the top 10 places to propose by the same website.

Manager of Lake Okareka Lodge Diana Moore said she was thrilled the lodge was on the list alongside such good properties and locations. "I'm absolutely over the moon." Other hotels on the list include the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, the Mystique Hotel Santorini in Greece and the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. HotelsCombined business development manager Vicki Byrne compiled the top 10 destinations. She said she looked at reviews for hotels as well as what country destinations would be great for honeymooners, then looked at what accommodation would be suitable.

Relaxation factor was a high priority when choosing honeymoon hotels, she said. Ms Byrne said they chose Lake Okareka Lodge because of its secluded location. "It's on its own and in a natural surrounding, which gives couples somewhere to escape." She said it was great how couples could be as relaxed or as adventurous as possible, with the option of using kayaks and jet skis. "I imagined it like a James Bond movie," she said. Ms Moore said the lodge was quite popular with honeymooning couples. "We've had quite a few couples in the last couple of years."

She said she thought the location at the end of a small peninsula in Lake Okareka was a key reason for being chosen as a honeymoon resort by HotelsCombined. "I think we are quite popular for the fact that we are set in an idyllic location which is secluded and bush clad." She said the best suite, Lake Okareka Suite, had views of the lake from both sides, and there was no mobile phone reception meaning people could get away from it all. The lodge has only three suites, with a maximum of nine guests being able to stay at one time. Ms Moore said she was pretty confident the lodge's inclusion in the list would help attract more overseas guests.

She said the majority of guests to the lodge were from overseas. Right now, the lodge is in its busy season and Ms Moore had had a number of inquiries recently from places like Russia and India. However, only a small percentage of guests were from New Zealand, she said. She thought this was because of the cost. "We are at the top end in terms of prices and rates."

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Record Chinese arrivals boost November tourism numbers

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Lupin Fields Glenorchy, New Zealand by Victoria M Moseley, on Flickr

November was a good month for tourism, with monthly and annual numbers both up 3%, thanks to increased visitors from China and Korea. "Arrivals from China – at 14,900, up 3800 – were a record for a November month," Population Statistics manager Bridget Hamilton-Seymour says. "However, the increase in visitors from Korea – up 3800 to 6200 – was only a partial recovery, with levels still less than half the November record of 14,100 in 1996." The numbers coming from Korea now exceed those of Germany to become the sixth-highest source of visitors to New Zealand, a position it lost after the May 2009 year. They also offset the drop in visitors from the UK. The numbers fell 3300 over the year to 21,200 last month, the lowest number of visitor arrivals from the UK for a November month since 2001.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

NZ the place to be, says CNN survey

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Matapouri by -stereographic-, on Flickr

We're living in the place to be for 2011, according to CNN. New Zealand has been named among the top nine destinations for next year by the global broadcasting network - at number 2 behind New York. CNN, which consulted Lonely Planet US editor Robert Reid, guidebook creator Pauline Frommer and travel firm executive Martin Rapp, said the Rugby World Cup was adding excitement to an already popular destination. "Wellington, which brands itself as the 'coolest little capital in the world', will host some of the activities and hopes to attract fans who want to explore other parts of the country," CNN reported. It quoted Reid as saying Wellington was "a great kind of springboard" and that he was planning a visit and determined to learn the haka. CNN said the film industry was thriving in New Zealand, referring to Sir Peter Jackson's latest work on The Hobbit and his success with The Lord of the Rings.

The network said Rapp also recommended New Zealand for its "most fantastically luxurious lodges", including The Farm at Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay, Huka Lodge near Taupo and Otahuna Lodge in Canterbury. New York was top of CNN's list: "A huge tourist destination in any year, the city will be especially unforgettable as it marks the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks next year." The National September 11 Memorial is expected to open before the anniversary. "It's going to be a massive moment for New York," Reid said. "It feels like the healing begins." Other countries to make the list include Norway, Albania and Japan. Reid said Albania gave tourists a taste of the Mediterranean without the crowds and prices. It would not remain off the beaten track for long.

And a holiday to Japan was cheaper than New York. "Why go in 2011? [Japan] is ramping up its tourism marketing efforts after some recent disappointing years, so the number of visitors is expected to rise soon," said CNN. Said Reid: "We think that the crowds are going to get worse. Maybe it's time to think about it now."

CNN TOP DESTINATIONS:

1 - New York

2 - New Zealand

3 - Peruvian Amazon

4 - Barcelona, Spain

5 - Norway

[hkskyline]

SkyCity sets sights on high-rollers from China
8 January 2011
New Zealand Herald

High-rolling punters from mainland China gambling at SkyCity in Auckland are up 33 per cent in the past six months - and the casino is pulling out the stops to boost the market ``many times over''.

Last year, Macau casinos reported record takings of US$23.5 billion ($31.1 billion) - four times the revenues generated at the Las Vegas Strip - largely because of mainland Chinese punters. SkyCity says it is keen to lure some of these high-spending players here.

An agreement had been reached with Air New Zealand for priority access to ticketing and the casino is working with Immigration New Zealand to ``fast-track'' visas for ``known players'' from the mainland, said SkyCity's international business president, Ejaaz Dean.

In the five months ending in November, SkyCity's international business grew more than 100 per cent - with China topping the list, ahead of Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. ``Most of what's fuelling the growth are from mainland China,'' Mr Dean said.

Regional rivals, such as Singapore, which last year opened two glitzy casinos, are competing hard for the market, but SkyCity is undeterred.

``Sure, we have lost some of our Singaporean clients, who now prefer to gamble locally, and that's understandable. But we have a lot of things in New Zealand that Singapore cannot replicate,'' Mr Dean said.

``We have great golf courses here, we have great vineyards, and these are things that attract high-rollers here, rather than Singapore.''

SkyCity had already been booked by 30 high-spending punters from China to spend Chinese New Year, which falls in early February, in Auckland rather than in Asia, Mr Dean said.

The gambling and entertainment company expects to have four dedicated private gaming rooms for high-rollers, up from one, by the middle of the year, and is also undertaking several facility upgrades at its hotels, restaurants and bars to ensure they are world class.

SkyCity is targeting a net profit of at least $127.4 million for the year to June.

Mr Dean said having a dedicated sales office in Singapore had helped in ``redirecting'' some of the high-value punters to New Zealand.

Macau's casinos last year cashed in 188.3 billion patacas ($31.1 billion), up from 119.3 billion patacas in 2009 - four times higher than the US$6 billion gamblers were expected to have spent on the Last Vegas Strip in 2010, Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA told AFP.

Aaron Fischer, a CLSA gaming analyst, said Macau's revenue was largely driven by high-roller gamblers, including many wealthy Chinese tourists riding high on the country's surging economy.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

NZ's top destinations get a shake up

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Auckland Skyline by Roving Kiwi, on Flickr

Auckland has topped the 2010 list of New Zealand's top travel destinations followed by the capital city - which knocked quake-ravaged Christchurch out of second place. That's according to accommodation website Wotif.com, which released its top 20 list today, based on domestic bookings online. Last year, Auckland also claimed the top spot, followed by Christchurch and Wellington. Wotif spokeswoman Megan Magill said there was a lot of "jostling" this year. "We've compiled the list based on bookings made by both leisure and business travellers in New Zealand throughout 2010 and have noticed a few changes compared to last year," she said. Franz Josef glacier was a new addition to this year's list at number 20, while Paihia, Wanaka and Invercargill all moved up the list. The North and South Islands were equally represented in the top 20, with 10 destinations from each region.

New Zealand's top 10 destinations in 2010:


1. Auckland

2. Wellington

3. Christchurch

4. Queenstown

5. Rotorua

6. Dunedin

7. Taupo

8. Hamilton

9. Napier

10. Palmerston North

11. Nelson

12. Paihia

13. Tauranga

14. Wanaka

15. Te Anau

16. New Plymouth

17. Hanmer Springs

18. Invercargill

19. Blenheim

20. Franz Josef

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Chinese airline shuns Melbourne for Auckland

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Piha beach, New Zealand by chris.bryant, on Flickr

China Southern Airlines, China's biggest carrier, will bypass Melbourne in favour of a direct Guangzhou-Auckland route, bolstering the projected economic benefit of the new service by half. Last month the airline flagged a three-times-a-week service via Melbourne, but has ditched the Australian stopover after New Zealand government officials and Auckland tourism representatives affirmed their support for the route. That's boosted the estimated injection into the Auckland economy to an annual $75 million from a previous forecast of $50 million. Meetings with officials "gave us the confidence that the New Zealand market opportunity will be a great success and can lead to even greater opportunities for China Southern Airlines and our partners in the region," president and chief executive Tan Wan'geng said in a statement. "Although we always envisaged moving eventually to direct flights if the service via Melbourne proved successful, we have now decided to make this commitment from day one."

Rising numbers of Chinese visitors helped underpin New Zealand's tourism market as the world's most populous nation managed to avoid the worst effects of the global financial crisis. Auckland International Airport, the country's major gateway, reported a 3.8 per cent increase in foreign visitors in November, due to more Chinese and South Korean arrivals. Prime Minister John Key, who also holds the tourism portfolio, has sought to drive the sector since winning office in 2008, last year injecting a further $30 million into attracting new visitors to New Zealand. Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler said China is "critical" to New Zealand, which needs to capitalise on the expected doubling of international departures from the world's biggest nation to 100 million over the next five years. "Attracting visitors from southern China specifically to holiday in New Zealand has always been challenging due to a lack of airline capacity, yet Guangdong region is a power house of Chinese industry," Bowler said. Shares in Auckland Airport rose 0.5 per cent to $2.20 in trading today, and rose 9 per cent last year.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

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[Milan Luka]

Spent last night in Gore Bay. Instead of the usual Kaikoura decided on here for a change. What an amazing spot. Ive never really heard of it before and was blown away by the place.



A few hours ago it was 35 degrees and there I was with what must have been hundreds splashing about in that water. Heaven. Now I feel very very burnt and a little headachy. Im gonna sleep well tonight.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Guest nights up 2% in November as NZers flock to Auckland

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Mita bay (Otuawao Bay) by simonprice, on Flickr

Guest nights in short term commercial accommodation rose 2 per cent in November, as a big rise in domestic nights in Auckland more than overcame an overall fall in international nights. Statistics New Zealand said the 2.7 million guest nights in November was also up 2.5 per cent from November 2008. Domestic visitors made up 1.5m of the total, a rise of 6.6 per cent from a year earlier and 5.9 per cent from two years before. But the 1.2m guest nights by international visitors was down 3.1 per cent from November 2009 and down 1.4 per cent from November 2008. In Auckland, domestic guest nights were up 52,000 or 20.8 per cent, led by hotels, while Canterbury chalked up a 12,000 or 5.1 per cent rise, Waikato had a rise of 11,000 or 8 per cent, and Bay of Plenty was up 10,000 or 8 per cent.

In Wellington, domestic guest nights fell 7000 or 4.5 per cent, and in Northland they were down 4000 or 6 per cent. Auckland also gained international guest nights, with a lift of 2.4 per cent or 6000, with Bay of Plenty up 9.2 per cent or 9000. West Coast had 15,000 or 19.7 per cent fewer international guest nights, and Otago had 14,000 or 6.3 per cent fewer. Guest nights in hotels were up 65,000 or 6.7 per cent in November from a year earlier, while backpacker accommodation had a rise of 2000 or 0.4 per cent. Holiday parks were down 8000 or 2 per cent, and motels fell 5000 or 0.7 per cent. The occupancy rate, excluding holiday parks, was 54 per cent, 2 percentage points higher than November 2009.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Record overseas visitor arrivals in December

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Heaphy beach, New Zealand by skybluetara, on Flickr

Overseas visitor arrivals were a record 345,700 in December, the highest recorded for any month and up 1 per cent from the previous high in December 2009. Despite the increase in arrivals, the estimated average number of visitors per day fell from 192,500 in December 2009 to 188,300 in December 2010, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said today. That was because more visitors stayed one week or less and fewer stayed two weeks or more. Visitor numbers from Australia in December were 4500 up from a year earlier, while arrivals from China were up 2500, but that was largely a recovery from a fall in December 2009. Numbers from Britain were down 3600 in December from a year earlier, and visitors from the United States fell 2200.

A fall in cruise passengers affected visitor numbers from the US, with 800 fewer arriving and 1300 fewer departing on cruise ships compared with December 2009, SNZ said. The 2.53 million visitor arrivals for the whole of 2010 were 3 percent higher than in 2009 and 41 per cent up from a decade earlier when the number was 1.79 million. New Zealand residents left on 206,000 short-term overseas trips in December, 12 per cent up from a year earlier and the highest for any December month on record. For the year, short term departures were up 6 percent to 2.03m, with overseas trips by New Zealand residents having risen 58 per cent over the last decade, from 1.28m in 2000.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

UK announce NZ third top country in travel awards

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Lake Tekapo|South Island|New Zealand by looknbooknz, on Flickr

New Zealand has placed third in the Top Country category of UK magazine Wanderlust's Travel Awards. Namibia came first in the category, followed by Costa Rica and then New Zealand. The award winners were announced in London overnight. New Zealand came third in the same category last year. Tourism New Zealand general manager of Western long haul markets Gregg Anderson said the award would help reinforce the value of a New Zealand holiday in the UK market, where Wanderlust was well read. "Wanderlust has a circulation of more than 30,000 and our top three finish will stand us in good stead for UK travellers considering where they want to go on their next overseas holiday." Wanderlust said on its website that it was Namibia's sense of drama and accessibility that won it top spot.

"And that mix of drama and accessibility surely accounts, too, for runners-up Costa Rica and New Zealand - destinations where the natural world pulls out all the stops, but creature comforts are never far away," Wanderlust said. Other mentions of New Zealand in this year's awards were Air New Zealand, which finished third in the Top Airline category, and the TranzAlpine train journey, which took seventh in the Top Rail Journey category. In other categories, Myanmar/Burma won Top Emerging Destination, Luang Prabang in Laos was named Top City, and Top Airline went to Singapore Airlines. The Disservice to Travel award went to Ryanair. The Wanderlust Travel Awards are held annually and are based on travellers' experiences from December 2009 to November 2010.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

Otago makes top 10 of world spots to propose

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Otago Peninsula by LUKINEC, on Flickr

The Otago Peninsula has been proclaimed one of the most romantic places on the planet to propose marriage. United States news organisation CNN International has released its top 10 places to propose to a loved one on Valentine's Day. "If your beseeching eyes can't soften her heart, the mating rituals of South Island's unusual coastal wildlife may do it for you," CNN gushed. It highlighted the wildlife reserves near Dunedin - home to colonies of yellow-eyed penguins, blue penguins, fur seals and the royal albatross. "Joining wildlife tours organised by one of South Island's many nature tour operators will help you figure out which wildlife hot spot is best for the occasion," it said.

The top 10 places are:

1. England's North Lees Hall
2. The Great Wall of China
3. Jaipur, India
4. Ireland's Lismore Castle
5. 360° Leti hotel, India
6. Maldives
7. ShirazN, Iran
8. Dubrovnik's Hotel Excelsior
9. New Zealand's Otago Peninsula
10. Petra, Jordan

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

New Zealand scenery will make splash in 'Hobbit'

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Huka Falls, Taupo, New Zealand by Sweppy, on Flickr

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P1330998 by philrickerby, on Flickr

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Hobbiton (Matamata, New Zealand) by Planetgordon.com, on Flickr

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Ruapehu Crater Lake 2 by MidwifeJules, on Flickr

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Queenstown lake - New Zealand. by globetrottingmatt, on Flickr

It is a spectacular sight: tens of millions of litres of water exploding from the spill gates of Aratiatia Dam, leaping and gushing through the narrow gorge below. It is a sight that draws thousands of tourists to the rapids, above Taupo's Huka Falls, every year. But for four days this year, those visitors will be turned away - and the tourism operators couldn't be more happy about it. Peter Jackson has settled on the Aratiatia Rapids as a location for filming one of the dramatic outdoor scenes in his two-part feature production of The Hobbit. It is only one of the beautiful locations set to feature in the movies, and with every new location disclosed, local tourism operators will be rubbing their hands.

Tourism is worth an estimated $9.5 billion a year to the New Zealand economy, and the pulling power of Middle Earth has been valued at a significant share of that. On top of that is the $500 million that the movie producers are expected to spend during filming and post-production. Unlike the Lord of the Rings trilogy, much of The Hobbit will be filmed at Wellington's Stone Street Studio - meaning the benefits to the select number of scenic outdoor locations could be even more lucrative. Hobbit producers have confirmed their return to the Waikato to the Hobbiton set on a Matamata farm.

With Environment Waikato's consent, they have begun diverting up to 890cu m of water a day from a nearby lake and stream to irrigate the lush green Middle Earth set and offset the browning effects of a hot New Zealand summer. They are also in talks with Ngati Tuwharetoa to film on the central North Island volcanic plateau, though the iwi is not expected to let them feature mountains Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu in the movies. The movie's location scouts have been busy in Ruapehu, Taranaki and Queenstown Lakes.

Wanaka would seem a perfect candidate for Laketown, the town devastated by the wrath of Smaug till the dragon was brought down by the black arrow of Bard the Bowman. Mt Taranaki could be the Lonely Mountain, given that Ngati Tuwharetoa is refusing to allow the use of Mt Ngauruhoe. Farther north, the Department of Conservation revealed to the Herald on Sunday that it granted a four-day "concession" for Weta to film in the Aratiatia scenic reserve above Huka Falls last month. That filming was delayed by Jackson's hospitalisation for a perforated stomach ulcer, but a new application could be lodged in the coming months.

While production company 3foot7 Ltd isn't saying what role the Aratiatia Rapids will play in The Hobbit, it is possible they could feature as the Forest River, down which Bilbo and his dwarf friends float in (and on) wine barrels to escape the elves of Mirkwood. At tourism agency Destination Great Lake Taupo, general manager Scott Pearson says the Lord of the Rings has left a "massive legacy" of tourism revenue. "This will enhance the whole Aratiatia experience and we'll see a lot more international visitors." Jane Kingston, marketing director for Huka Lodge, says the scenery around the Falls is like leaving the real world behind - so is perfect as Middle Earth. "This filming will draw attention to the beauty of New Zealand, increasing tourism and revenue."

[ItalicSiciliano]

It 's a fantastic country. I want to move and contribute to the development of this nation!
I Love NZ!!!!!!!!