Regions

Regional tourism organisation Whanganui & Partners says its region has topped the table for domestic tourism spending growth for the second month running, recording a 9.8% increase in May 2023.

Kieran McAnulty will become the new minister for regional development following Kiri Allan’s resignation from her ministerial posts.

Kiri Allan has resigned from all her ministerial positions after being charged with reckless driving and resisting arrest.

Central Otago’s future as a tourism destination is looking positive with significant public and private investment over the next 2-3 years, according to Tourism Central Otago.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful has opened nominations for its annual Beautiful Awards for the year.

The regional tourism system needs to be overhauled to help address the root causes of long-standing challenges and not just symptoms, according to a new industry report.

Travel sellers from key visitor markets including Singapore, Japan, Korea, India, North America, the UK, Germany and Australia have visited regions around New Zealand.

The government has signed agreements with three of the country’s major telcos to extend 5G services to around 55 regional and rural towns.

A scheme for a cable car up Bowen Falls to provide a “world-class activity” is mooted in the area’s masterplan.

Regions hit hard by the downturn in international tourism during the pandemic have made a strong recovery.

NZ’s funding of its tourism system should be re-examined and questions asked about how RTOs will be able to fund destination management.

More than 110 inbound tour operators and agents have converged on Auckland’s Crowne Plaza over the last two days for the annual Regional Tourism New Zealand inbound event.

A “perfect storm” of ferry maintenance work and breakdowns have caused accommodation shortages and heartache for travellers looking to cross the Cook Strait.

The government has extended its state of national emergency across six regions until 7 March in response to the prolonged impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Operators reaped the benefits of domestic visitation during Covid but the international market is stepping back into the spotlight.

Regions with strong international tourist appeal and food-producing industries should fare best in 2023 as the economy slows, says the bank.

Regional operators are hoping for a strong summer but it may to take a while to reach pre-pandemic levels of activity.

Rotorua and Queenstown are among the popular destinations that have new council leaders.

The network drops to 59 locations, prompting Tourism NZ to take a closer look at how i-SITEs can evolve.

The first four cruise ships arriving from October could bring more than 13k passengers to the regions.

After languishing at the bottom of the bank’s regional rankings, Otago and Southland are on the move.

NZ’s hotel sector is on the move with the lifting of border and Covid restrictions helping to drive performance.

The Great South CEO and former Destination Queenstown boss passed away on Friday.

The tourism minister’s comments could derail “the most transformational mahi anyone in tourism has ever seen”.

Destination management plans present a unique challenge for RTOs.

The association will tour the country in May to prepare the regions for a hopeful restart of cruise in October.

Tourism businesses welcome the new border re-opening dates but it will take months for many to enjoy the benefits.

CEO Jerry Shearman lays out his tourism priorities for the region.

So, how many Kiwis actually did something new? Plenty, says Tourism New Zealand.

Regional tourism organisation areas in the wider Otago region continued to put in a better performance for domestic spending in November 2021 versus the same month a year earlier.

With more people moving to the region and its tourism profile on the up, the Waikato is looking to capitalise on momentum with its new destination management plan.

But pickings are slimmer on the West Coast, particularly further south.

RTNZ is looking to make the most of the financial resources won over the course of the pandemic in anticipation of the visitor economy and member regional tourism organisations moving past the crisis.

Northland tourism and hospitality businesses want the rest of New Zealand to know that they are still open for business.

Southland could become a hotbed of food activity under new plans to transform the regional home of Bluff Oysters into a food tourism mecca.

International visitor spend in Dunedin may not fully recover to pre-Covid levels until 2029-2030 at the earliest, according to a new report.

There is very little in the way of paid attractions for visitors beyond the ‘hero’ experience of visiting Kāpiti Island.

The new funding for operators is needed in light of the latest lockdown and the likelihood of no international visitors over summer.

Air New Zealand will update its domestic schedule between Wednesday 8 September and Tuesday 14 September to reinstate hundreds of flights out of Wellington and Christchurch and a small number from Auckland.

More areas saw visitor spend fall in July compared to the same month a year ago.

All regional tourism organisation areas around the country except for Mackenzie saw stronger domestic spending in June 2021 compared with the same month a year ago.

Nearly 100 tourism suppliers are meeting the country’s inbound tour operators at the inaugural Tourism Trade Expo in Taranaki today.

As the pandemic disruption continues for the tourism industry, some operators are struggling to cope with the strain caused by the ongoing uncertainty.

One of the key challenges for RTOs is making sure government funding does not run out at the end of 2022.

A slew of new products has set up the railway for growth, with local businesses on board for the economic ride.

The divide between the north and south has widened due in part to the latter’s reliance on tourism, says the bank.

Otago is doing it tough but will also be one of the few regions to really benefit from the Aus travel bubble, says the bank.

The new visitor centre project dovetails with plans to promote Whanganui River Road as a tourism driving route.

A lack of approved places for international students is taking a toll on NZ’s flight schools.

But details released by Stuart Nash show commercial interests need to invest 50% to secure funding.