Owner: New Zealand Touring URL:http://www.nztourmaps.com/blog Join Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:37:16 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Independent traveller tips on NZ accommodation and touring Site statistics:Click here
Accommodation Rates Remain Static 2007-06-10 17:48:51 The NZ Tourism Ministry’s latest figures showed international visitor spending had remained static at about $2900 NZD a person per visit. These figures have not risen since 2004.
Tourism New Zealand claims that raising hotel room rates is the key to reaching its target to boost international tourist spending by 6.5 per cent a year.
New Zealand Hotel Council chief executive Mark Oldershaw has further commented, claiming that “over the last 10 years, room rates have not risen more than $10. “This increase is not even keeping pace with inflation,” he said. A focus on occupancy rates, rather than yield per room, and a discount culture to keep numbers up had generated a “downward spiral” in prices.
Many accommodation providers claim that the price sensitivity within the domestic customers are helping to keep prices down. Room nights remain the significant portion of annual business within many New Zealand holiday destinations.
Read more:Accommodation
, Rates
Small Gain in Visitor Nights 2007-06-13 19:25:56
Statistics New Zealand has reported that international guest nights spent by short term visitors were 5 percent higher in April 2007 than in April 2006. Australian visitors recorded the largest increase in international guest nights.
Domestic guest nights also reported an increased of 1 percent in April 2007 compared with April the previous year.
Total guest nights in April 2007 were 2 percent higher than in April 2006. This trend in total guest nights has been increasing since January 2006 after a period of no growth that began in late 2004.
Read more:Small
, Visitor
Air NZ crash landing 2007-06-18 02:18:18 A great action photo of an Air New Zealand link plane making a gear up emergency landing
at Blenheim airport this morning. No injuries where reported.
Read more:crash
Snow for South Island Ski Fields 2007-06-20 18:47:20 With three of the four major ski field doubting that they will be able to open this weekend due to a lack of snow, I am happy to report that it is now snowing heavily out side my office window at Lake Wanaka.
Both Cardrona and Treble Cone have been making snow but reported that a major weather front was needed to supply the real thing in order to meet the planned Saturday opening.
With the Queenstown Winter Festival starting tomorrow night, Queenstown’s main field, Coronet Peak, opened last week on a thin base of mostly man made snow.
The current snow falls are predicted to last 24 hours and will insure that the SouthIsland
Ski fields meet their planned opening , providing ski’s a good base of man made and natural snow.
Read more:Fields
Black Ice 2007-07-10 18:56:23 With recent snow followed by rain and now freezing temperatures, the South Island is experiencing a raft of traffic accidents and ice related broken bones and injuries.
The Southland Hospital emergency department was overwhelmed by dozens of people who broke bones and suffered minor injuries after people slipped on black ice that caused widespread disruptions throughout Southland and parts of Otago yesterday
.
Authorities are urging people to take extreme care and weather forecasters have warned that temperatures in the double minus digits are still predicted.
Road conditions are treacherous in many parts of Southland and Otago. Many locals and particularly tourists, who are not use to extreme winter driving conditions, have been involved in many traffic accidents.
Local police have reported accidents involving road ice and a disproportional amount of unsuspecting visitor drivers. Police warn motorists to slow down and leave travelling to later in the day when road ice has had a chance Read more:Black
School Holiday Skiing 2007-07-09 00:10:04 The heaviest snow seen in the Otago, South Island area for many years as reported on previously, meant that the ski fields opened as planned. High winds after the heavy snow fall meant that much of that snow was blown away. Treble Cone and Cardrona ski fields opened with limited ski runs being available for the disappointed shool holiday crowds.
With 25cm of fresh snowfall over the weekend, Wanaka’s Treble Cone has now been able to opened all runs. Operations staff worked frantically Saturday to prepare the Saddle Basin for opening that afternoon.
Cardrona situated on the mountains between Wanaka and Queenstown now also has all facilities open.
Accommodation providers in both Queenstown and Wanaka have reported full occupancy due to the combination of the ski season coupled with Australian and New Zealand school holidays.
Wanaka has employed a full time parking inspector to enforce via parking infringements, Wanaka’s parking problems that plague both Queenstown and Wanaka at this b Read more:School
, Holiday
, Skiing
Visitor nights increase despite high New Zealand dollar 2007-07-11 16:36:30 Statistics New Zealand
has reported that the total guest nights
in short-term commercial accommodation has risen by 6 percent in May 2007 compared with May 2006. The trend in total guest nights has been increasing since January 2006 after a flat period that began in November 2004.
The May 2007, guest nights were 6 percent higher in the North Island and 5 percent higher in the South Island compared with May 2006. Eleven of the 12 regions recorded more guest nights, with the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions showing the largest increases.
All five accommodation types had more guest nights in May 2007 than in May 2006, with motels and caravan parks/camping grounds recording the largest increases.
The May 2007 occupancy rate, excluding caravan parks/camping grounds, was 42 percent, compared with 41 percent in May 2006. Auckland and Wellington had the highest occupancy rates, and were the only regions to achieve occupancy rates of 50 percent or more.
The rise can be seen as significant when Read more:Visitor
, despite
NZ Ski Report 2007-07-31 22:24:45 With the metres of snow falling on Australian ski fields and the scant amount that has been received in New Zealand, Australian skiers are staying home.
Ski towns are reporting a very average season with Australians notably absent. Accommodation suppliers are claiming below average occupancy rates which could be due in part to the high value of the New Zealand dollar in combination with snow levels.
Generally most ski holidays are booked in advance of the snow falling but it is the spontaneous travellers that often supply the top up to trade. These mainly Australian skiers have some of the best snow conditions experienced at home for ten years. This coupled with a NZ dollar at post float highs has clearly got many tourist business worried for the season
Pot Holes Plague Roads 2007-08-06 18:00:46 The recent freezing conditions experienced in the South Island and central North Island has left large sections of our state highways riddled with large pot holes and a general deterioration of road surfaces.
Pot holes are formed extremely quickly. They are formed by cracks in the road allowing water to seep into and under the road surface. When temperatures drop below freezing this water expands to lift up and crack the road surface. Similar to leaving a glass bottle in the freezer.
Pot hole can appear overnight and are catching drives of all persuasions unaware and are resulting in minor traffic incidents and damage to tyres and cars.
Road repairs are not keeping up with the problem that has been described by some city councils as the worst seen in many years. On one fifty kilometre stretch of state highway 2, some 280 holes appeared in a period of less than 48 hours. Repairing these was estimated to take road crews over two weeks.
Repair crews claim that by the time they have finish Read more:Holes
, Roads
New Zealand Avalanche Season 2007-08-15 18:35:51 The New Zealand
Mountain Safety Council has issued a warning to back-country skiers and snowboarders in the South Islands Otago and Queenstown Lakes district.
Due to a high avalanche danger, skiers and boarders are warned to stick to the main ski areas. Heli-skiing, a popular tourist activity at this time of the year, posses a even greater threat of avalanche due to the present snow conditions.
The major ski fields are carrying out extensive avalanche control but warn people who were accessing the back-country through the ski field chairlifts, of the heighten risks associated with off-piste skiing.An avalanche was triggered in the backcountry near Wanaka’s Treble Cone field yesterday by two skiers who headed into the area despite a high avalanche warning signs.
The Remarkables ski field in Queenstown also have reported a series of small avalanches, one of which finished on the edge of the learners slopes. 2500 skiers were at the Remarkables field at the time the avalanche, which wa Read more:Avalanche
, Season
, New Zealand
New NZ Domestic Airline 2007-08-29 00:18:55 Australians Virgin Blue will be entering the New Zealand domestic market under it Pacific Blue label. Air New Zealand's initial reaction to the new discount carrier was the offering of heavily reduced fares based on internet only sales.The introduction of competition to New Zealand's main trunk routes is welcomed by the tourist sector who have complained for years of the high fare structure presented by the duopoly of Air NZ and Qantas.
Inbound tourist will now have the ability to travel cheaply between both North and South islands resulting in more travellers electing to see more of New Zealand in sorter timed holidays. Traditionally tourist have elected to do only one island holidays for visits of two weeks or less and have expressed dissatisfaction at the high airfares previously only on offer.
Market analysts believe that Virgins new budget carry has both the experience and financial might to grow and survive in our small market.
Currently, Pacific Blue fly's internationally Read more:Domestic
, Airline
Martial Law Reinstated in Fiji …….again 2007-09-10 18:13:44 I receive regular emails from travellers heading to New Zealand with planned stop overs in Fiji. These emails ask advice from the NZ perspective of the safety for tourist travelling to Fiji.
Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, reinstituted martial law last week. The new regulations gives his soldiers the right to kill without criminal sanction. In response many countries have increased there travel advisory warnings. But is it safe to ignore these warnings and travel to Fiji?
I think you need to analyse two things before making a decision as to the security issues facing travellers.
Firstly it could be argued that New Zealand and Australia uses these travel advisories as political leverage in its diplomatic tussle with Fiji. The Fijian Islands economy are heavily dependent on tourism and in particular from those travelling from Australia and NZ. Any travel warning issued from these governments has the potential to cause internal pressure on the Fijian administrators.
Secondly, are you travel Read more:Martial
Fourth Airline for NZ Domestic ? 2007-09-10 17:44:14 Qantas has announced that it budget subsidiary Jet Star remains committed to starting a New Zealand domestic airline.
This is not surprising given the arrival into New Zealand of Qantas’s major competitor in Australia, Virgin Blue. As previously posted, Virgin Blue will fly domestically under its Pacific Blue banner later this year.
The announcement leaves industry analysts wondering the commercial reality of the prospect of Qantas domestic operation competing with its own subsidiary Jet Star. Although Jet Star fly’s domestically in the Qantas dominated Australian market, it tends to compete on alternative routes and on those flown by rival Virgin Blue.
Clearly Jet Star’s announcement could be seen as a reaction to the successful launch and internet sales of Pacific Blues new service.
Air New Zealand has re-positioned its domestic service with the announcement of new fare structures including increase in seat pitch for premium economy and the decrease in seat pitch for those flyi Read more:Airline
, Domestic
Earthquake hits South Island 2007-10-17 16:09:57 An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale and located 60 km west of Milford Sound has closed the only road to this popular tourist destination for the second day running. Department of Conservation Staff say that the quake together with the recent 1.5m of snow have made avalanche risk on the highway an unacceptable risk.
Although only minor damage has been reported, trampers, holiday makers and residents of both Te Anau and Milford have reported that the quake lasted over 40 seconds and was strong enough to wake people from sleep when it struck at 1.28am.
A strong after shock was felt over the lower SouthIsland
. The after shock of magnitude 6.2 was among dozens that have been recorded since Tuesdays major advent.
Fiordland is New Zealand’s most active earthquake region.
Read more:Earthquake
NZ ranked 5th for car theft 2007-11-11 21:24:19 New Zealand has the dubious honour of 5th in the world for car theft
and burglary from cars per head of population. Further more this type of crime is on the rise and in some areas over twenty percent increases have been reported. Many theft from vehicles go unreported so this figure can be regarded as conservative.
I have reported this many times in this blog and included a section specifically about this type of crime but with the busy camper van and tourist season just about to start thought it prudent to warn prospective travellers of the dangers of leaving valuables in your hire car or motor home. Please see our section on theft from tourists
Hike Safely, use a distress beacon 2007-11-11 20:56:51 Hikers, trampers and fishermen/women visiting New Zealand’s national parks are encouraged to take with them a vital piece of equipment that is proving a life saver for many lost or injured visitors to these remote areas.The personal EPIRB (Emergency position indicating radio beacons) distress
beacon is readily available for purchase or hire from as little as $10 per day. A small cost to save ones life. An alternative to this is the Mountain Radio which can also be hired. Most Department of Conservation visitors have both devices for hire.
All communication systems have limitations. Ideally both types of emergency alert systems should be carried. The advantage of this is that the EPIRB is only an emergency device while the mountain radio offers the ability to utilise the daily scheduled contact times for current weather forecasts including mountain snow wind and river levels.
An incident over the weekend in Mount Aspiring National Park illustrated the practical use in locating a hiker Read more:Safely
New Zealand Sandfly Plague 2007-11-19 20:13:12 Something you aren’t told about in the travel brochures… sandflies. The West Coast of the South Island and in particular the lower half of the island are plagued with these biting little pests all summer long.
They are found in large cloud like quantities along river, lakes and beaches. Their bite causes a small mosquitoes like red lump but with the added annoyance of an insatiable itchiness. Milford Sound is plagued with sandflies together with most of Fiordland National Park.
A recent story of a Swedish tourist who became lost while camping illustrates the gravity of this pest. The tourist left the camping ground to escape from the clouds of sandflies that had invaded his camp.
The tourist became disorientated after going in the wrong direction resulting in an unscheduled overnight stay in the bush.
Police found the man 1km from his camp the next morning.
Read more:Zealand
, New Zealand
NZ Gold Fossicking 2007-12-14 18:43:12 Most inbound travellers to NZ come here for the splendid beauty of our parks and many mountains rangers . Most tourist utilise New Zealand's many day walks or longer treks like the famed Milford, Routeburn, Copland and Albel Tasman to mention but a small few. However most who venture into this natural environ are unaware of the rich gold bearing streams that they often cross during these treks.
Gold was first discovered in 1842 on the Coromandel harbour in the North Island although NZ first gold rush officially started there in 1852. However due to the high expense of retrieving gold from within veins of quartz this rush only lasted 12 months.
The 1861 gold strike in Central Otago was the find that ignited the real rush. This gold was alluvial and was readily extracted by those panning and working the many creeks, streams and rivers. Otago was inundated with those seeking to make their fortune in these early years. Many towns sprang up almost overnight to cater for the influx of pro
New Zealand Christmas Alcohol Ban 2007-12-10 23:06:12 Many holiday resort towns in New Zealand
impose a liquor ban in public places over the busy Christmas
new year period.
These NZ bylaws make it an offence to bring liquor into, possess liquor in, or consume liquor in any prescribed areas. These areas are usually notified by signage and public notices in local news papers.
Unfortunately these notices often require local knowledge of street names and localities that are often not known by visiting tourists.
Statistically, many tourists are caught unsuspectedly by these bylaws resulting in arrest and fines. The powers of these temporary bylaws include -
Powers of Arrest, Search and Seizure
(1) A member of the police may, without warrant,(a) for the purpose of ascertaining whether liquor is present, search:
(i) a container (for example, a parcel, package, bag, or case) in the possession of a person who is in, or entering, a public place:
(ii) a vehicle that is in, or is entering, a public place:
(b) seize and remove liquor and its contain Read more:Alcohol
, New Zealand
Not Only In America 2007-12-06 16:23:48 An irate America
n guest staying at the Hermitage Hotel in Mount Cook National Park rang reception to complain about her in room microwave oven.
The guest stated that she was not able to retrieve her pizza from the oven.
When staff attended the guest room they discovered that the pizza was in fact placed in the room safe and the press button lock had been activated.
Fiji Island for Sale 2007-12-19 19:55:30 Less than 10% of land in Fiji is available freehold resulting in high prices for freehold islands that seldom come up for sale. Since the latest coup premium properties have hit the market frequently.
The suspension of issuing new titles to foreigners at the start of the coup has frighten purchases away. Although this suspension was only temporary, the motivation was not clear and many observers comment that prospective property purchases felt that title to foreigners were not safe and potentially land could be nationalised back to native title.
Toberua Island
is the latest offering to be marketed internationally to prospective purchases who might wish to buck the risk aversion that currently has gripped the Fiji property market. Situated at the Suva end of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu, Toberua Island is approximately 1.62ha in size and has a 15-bure resort.
Toberua Island resort is a long established resort with an international reputation that included many celebrity guests,
It’s Official - The Banana Republic of Fiji 2008-02-25 22:50:07 The Australian publisher of the Fiji Sun newspaper was taken from his residence last night by two men who claimed to be immigration officers.
Russel Hunter was at home with his wife and daughter when the men arrived and asked to view his passport. He was then taken away for further questioning. He was latter deported [...] Read more:Official
, Republic
Backpacker Wins 1 Million Dollars 2008-02-25 20:20:43 An Australian backpacker who arrived in New Zealand just two days before he purchased a winning lotto ticket now plans to upgrade his accommodation and travel in style.
The lucky tourist purchased the ticket in Christchurch and then immediately travelled to the Wellington Lottery headquarters to claim his prize.
He initially planned to get seasonal fruit picking [...]
Tourist Insurance Scam 2008-02-24 22:56:48 Three Dutch tourist who claimed they were robbed while camping at Akaroa near Christchurch have admitted guilt in a Christchurch court to making a false complaint.
The trio was arrested as they tried to leave the country bound for Australia.
The residing judge convicted and discharged the men stating that although the investigation had wasted 100 hours [...]
Dodgy Lodges 2008-02-15 15:36:48 The tourist industry has once again hit out at the many New Zealand accommodation establishments that brand themselves as “lodges” or “boutique lodge” accommodation.
NZ has many wonderful lodges that have invested vast amounts of both money and energy to create internationally recognised accommodation. Huka, Kauri Cliffs, Blanket Bay and Grasmere Lodge are but a few [...] Read more:Dodgy
Fording NZ Rivers by Car 2008-02-14 20:50:21 Fording small rivers is a common experience on many roads that lead to scenic spots, trail heads and popular picnic locations.
Many overseas travellers and New Zealanders alike are not aware that these small river crossings can become almost unpassable on the return crossing as river levels can quickly rise.
Heres a little story of a German [...] Read more:Rivers
Copland Track Thief 2008-01-29 18:48:49 A South Island man who robbed tourists of goods and cash to the tune of $104,000 has been jailed for three years and two months.
The 25 year old Fox Glacier resident, pleaded guilty in the District Court to 42 theft charges.
These thefts occurred from tourists’ vehicles in carparks mainly at the Copland Track
car park [...] Read more:Thief
Fiji to Los Angeles cut flights 2008-01-23 23:46:47 It appears the American inbound tourist market to Fiji has wilted due to the current coup.
Air New Zealand has announced that it is cutting its three flights
per week service between Nadi and Los Angeles
effective from April.
On February 2007 I wrote of the current coups potential crippling effect on Fijis tourist dependent economy. [...] Read more:Los Angeles
Sleeping Van Law Step Closer 2008-01-20 17:33:40 The issue of freedom camping in vans that are not equipped with toilet facilities could likely result in laws prohibiting this popular form of touring.Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Clive Geddes has once again warned tourists van operators that a district ban may be enforced.
Roadside waste such as toilet paper, sanitary products and faeces is a [...] Read more:Sleeping
NZ Greenstone 2008-01-13 00:12:17 Also known by its Maori name “Pounamu” or its gemmological term “New Zealand Jade“, Greenstone is very similar to jade and is used for making adornments and jewellery.
Pounamu is only found in the South Island with the main deposits located around the Taramakau district and Arahura rivers in Westland, coastal south Westland and the [...]
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