Attraction

Wētā Workshop is to open its $15m World War I art and visitor experience in Le Quesnoy, France, next week.

The first Kiwi president of WAZA on her priorities in the role and the new opportunities for the capital’s attraction.

The government is providing $10m from the Regional Culture and Heritage Fund for Canterbury Museum’s redevelopment.

Marlborough Museum now has a full team on board to protect the region’s history and taonga for the future.

Invercargill’s Transport World is preparing to host an insider’s journey into automotive craftmanship as part of its Back Shed tour, which returns next month.

Hanmer Thermal Pools & Spa is introducing two new hydroslides to its offerings, due to open on 11 October.

A collapsed section of a historic stone retaining wall on the West Coast has been reassembled by the Department of Conservation in partnership with geotech experts.

Reeves, who is the director of collections and research at Auckland Museum, has been interim chief executive since the departure of Dr David Gaimster in June.

The Department of Conservation expects to determine the fate of the popular Coromandel hotspot Cathedral Cove next week.

MOTAT is trialling tree-based biofuels to power one of its steam trams.

Murray and his late wife Gloria Powell established the Hilldale Game Park in December 1969.

Whakamana Cannabis Museum says it has secured a site at the city’s Hopetoun Alpha building.

Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch has introduced a new siamang gibbon to its family.

Kiwi Park tuatara Merri is on the road to recovery after surgery at Dunedin Wildlife Hospital to remove a large mass under his jaw.

Rotorua Lakes Council’s infrastructure and environment committee has voted in favour of strengthening and eventually reopening the city’s iconic museum.

The return of international visitors and competition for labour appears to have driven wages up significantly at the Queenstown-based group.

The operator’s CEO also says a new tour model at the Rotorua attraction has been “contentious” for some.

Operators across the host cities are reporting healthy bookings, particularly around match days.

The Matariki long weekend gave operators a welcome boost over the final stretch of the school holidays with decent weather also helping to fill tours and attract customers.

Central Otago District Council is seeking a building contractor for its proposed new Cromwell Memorial Hall, museum and events centre, with registrations of interest open for the project.

The Queenstown-based operator is selling four businesses but also investing in an asset to serve its popular Walter Peak attraction.

Te Papa has secured hosting rights as the only New Zealand venue to showcase a new dinosaur exhibition from The Paleontological Museum Egidio Feruglio.

The 51% owner of the Rotorua attraction notes the new competition coming from Wai Ariki.

Canterbury Museum will open its pop-up museum in Christchurch with a free exhibition starting on the Matariki public holiday on 14 July.

Rangatira Investments says its recovering tourism attractions have helped it return a net profit of $20.4m for the year to 31 March 2023, up 122% on the previous 12 months.

Wētā Workshop Unleashed is introducing new languages to its Auckland experience offerings, with Mandarin and Japanese now available.

Revenue jumps by 49% to $183m, “with the reopening of international travel markets a strong contributor to that result”.

Te Pā Tū Rotorua’s summer season has hundreds of visitors through the doors every week with the reintroduction of cruise, but its quieter months are coming with a focus on food events and the returning MICE sector.

The government has invested $51m in the hot pools attraction, which is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the region.

Wētā Workshop, Mediaworks and media agency MBM have teamed up to create New Zealand’s first ever 3D effect digital-out-of-home, or 3DOOH, billboard.

Napier’s Ocean Spa pool and gym complex has reopened to the public after a significant upgrade.

The National Kiwi Hatchery is celebrating 153 new chicks – the most successful on record for any season.

Tourism is expected to be one of the big beneficiaries of Waitaki Whitestone Geopark’s new UNESCO Global Geopark designation.

Kelly Tarlton’s SEA LIFE Aquarium has released a green turtle back into the wild with a waiata and farewell.

Otago Polytechnic Te Pūkenga’s Exhibition has attracted more than 30,000 visitors since it opened in December.

The opening of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa is being hailed as a potential “game changer” for Rotorua’s economy and tourism sector.

King and Gentoo penguins created colourful painted artworks from their footprints and tail feathers on cardboard taken from used boxes.

Sir Edmund Hillary’s 1950s Antarctic expedition tractor, a giant globe, and other large objects have been removed from Canterbury Museum before its redevelopment.

Napier’s Open Spa will reopen to the public on 15 May following upgrades to facilities, lighting, security, and staff recruitment.

The Te Kaaroro Nature Precinct connects nature, the stars and wildlife and could rival – and complement – the iconic Hamilton Gardens.

Auckland War Memorial Museum is marking 25 years of its online Cenotaph initiative, which captures the history and stories of those who served in the New Zealand military.

Privately-owned sculpture park Gibbs Farm will open to celebrate a special charity event this month with the Child Cancer Foundation.

Christchurch Adventure Park says it is “disappointed” in the Court of Appeal decision to uphold a High Court ruling that found the operator’s chairlift helped spread the 2017 Port Hills fires.

A shared entranceway between Hamilton Zoo and the Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park is now open to visitors.

With Tourism Waitaki ending, the local council is considering bringing in an operator to help grow its popular attraction.

Te Manuka Tūtahi marae in Whakatāne will no longer offer tourist experiences as it refocuses on providing events of significance at its Mataatua Wharenui.

The future of Wellington Museum could be on shaky ground after the building that houses it is set to be issued with an Earthquake-Prone Building notice.

KPMG was engaged to scope interest in the youth and adventure-focused coach business.

The Ropes & Thrills Rotorua attraction, set to launch in November 2023, is a prime investment opportunity for those looking to take advantage of New Zealand’s growing tourism industry.

After an eventful first year, the attraction is ready to take the next step in its growth plans.