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Tag: New Zealand Travel View All Tags

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Spring In New Zealand Brings Extreme Biking, Surfing And Golfing

November 2, 2009 at 4:34 PM | by amandak | 0 Comments

With sunshiny days flooding into the southern hemisphere, New Zealand is getting ready to host a whole bunch of sporting events that will no doubt attract a few tourist-fans too. Whether you're into tough endurance sports, sedate strolls or hitting the waves, there is an event to suit your New Zealand plans.

The Moa Beer Moa Hunt attracted us pretty easily just through the sponsor's name in the title, but then we found out it's hard work: a 40 kilometer (25 mile) mountain bike race on a course they describe as "stunning," which we can only guess means "very mountainous and hard on the legs." But if you're fitter than us, the good news is it's not too late to enter online for the November 28 race.

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Pack Your Bilbo Baggins: 'The Hobbit' Returns to New Zealand

September 21, 2009 at 5:28 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

The Hobbit, the prequel movie to the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, is expected to start filming in March 2010 in New Zealand. While the exact locations in Kiwi country are still up in the air, redevelopment has begun at Hobbiton, according to a company spokesperson.

If you're not familiar with Hobbiton, don't worry, we won't judge you. It's a very geeky, middle earth kind of thing to be acquainted with.

For those who aren't Bilbo Baggins fanboys, Hobbiton is a private farmland in Matamata, New Zealand where the Hobbit Village was created and filmed for the Lord of the Rings movies. After filming, most of the farm was returned to its original state but 17 Hobbit holes and structures have been kept open for two-hour guided tours.

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Air New Zealand Seeks Help From 'The Bachelor' For Its Matchmaking Flight

July 13, 2009 at 12:11 PM | by amandak | 2 Comments

What is going on with Air New Zealand these days? They are releasing one gimmicky promo after the next. First, there was the group of people who wore body advertisements for the Kiwi airline, then came airline employees covered in body paint, followed by the announcement of a matchmaking flight and then some more body paint.

This time, the matchmaking flight from Los Angeles to Auckland has decided to bring onboard a successful love match to inspire hope in the other singletons on the flight—Jason Mesnick and his girlfriend, Molly of the ABC show, "The Bachelor."

The October 13 trip is all about finding love (and filling up Air New Zealand planes), with a plane load of singles heading down to Auckland for a major party. And we're expecting at least a few Kiwi-American marriages to come out of this.

Since everyone else will be single, we're not sure that inviting Jason and Molly along is quite the right thing to do, but there's definitely one good side to it – to celebrate this announcement, Air New Zealand is offering tickets at $200 off. If you book by Wednesday with the LOVE200 code=, you'll get your return Los Angeles to Auckland flight plus all the attached partying for $580, which is a pretty low price to pay for the prospect of some Kiwi love.

Related Stories:
· The Matchmaking Flight [Official Site]
· From Body Paint to Matchmaking: Air New Zealand is Feeling Frisky [Jaunted]
· Air New Zealand Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: thetruthabout]

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From Body Paint to Matchmaking: Air New Zealand Is Feeling Frisky

May 15, 2009 at 9:31 AM | by amandak | 0 Comments

Just in case the sexy painted bodies of Air New Zealand staff aren't enough to get you hot and heavy with booking a ticket, there's yet another little marketing strategy coming out from the Kiwis this week: the world's first Matchmaking Flight.

Sadly the flight of fancy is still months away; you'll need to be free on October 13 to get involved in this Kiwi love-in. On that date, an Air New Zealand flight will leave Los Angeles full of singles making the trip to Auckland for the Great Matchmaking Ball.

Air New Zealand will even help you to get through the butterflies by opening up chats on their website by posting your profile and linking up with either Americans or Kiwis who plan to turn up at the ball too.

Round-trip tickets for this romantic route start at $780, which includes a party at LAX before you leave, special in-flight food and entertainment (games, even), and the singles-only ball in Auckland. This is all well and good, but they're leaving out the most important information: will any of those body-painted flight attendants be on board?

Related Stories:
· The Matchmaking Flight [Official Site]
· Air New Zealand Offers Singles Only Matchmaking Flight [The Australian]
· A New Paint Job for Air New Zealand … Body Paint [Jaunted]

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Christchurch Airport Does Okay on WiFi, If You Keep It Short

April 6, 2009 at 2:01 PM | by amandak | 0 Comments

We love getting some good Airport WiFi tips and what better way to let us know of a decently-equipped airport than by someone in the airport using Twitter. That's what @SEKeener did recently. Sean was in Christchurch and Twittered this:

#Christchurch newzealand airport has 15 min free wifi. Overall, Internet access difficult and exp as traveler in NZ. My only neg about NZ.

When we checked the details, the WiFi coverage at Christchurch Airport might be free for fifteen minutes but it's not that easy to find--there are just a couple of relatively small hotspot areas, although the smart thing is they are centered on departure lounges.

So basically Christchurch Airport gets a reasonable thumbs up but WiFi in New Zealand deserves only a thumbs down from Twitterer Sean. Given that this is the land where airplanes have to wait until traffic controllers finish eating, you can't be too surprised that it's a tricky place to log on.

Related Stories:
· Christchurch International Airport [Official Site]
· You Can't Land Now, We're Eating [Jaunted]
· New Zealand Travel Guide [Jaunted]

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You Can't Land Now, We're Eating

March 31, 2009 at 11:11 AM | by amandak | 1 Comment

Thought about taking a trip around New Zealand soon? Feel free, but don't expect to be able to catch a plane around lunchtime. The air traffic controllers will be easy eating their sandwiches.

After years of working flexible hours to accommodate aircraft movement, the control tower staff will now be taking fixed breaks at particular times, and towers at five regional airports--Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Rotorua and Invercargill--will be closed for half an hour twice a day. Air New Zealand is furious because it means the cancellation of 25 of its flights; regional airlines Air Nelson and Eagle Air might end up having to cut staff.

We definitely don't doubt the importance of satisfied air traffic control staff in keeping our flying experiences safe, but we're not convinced fixed lunch breaks will keep us out of danger. We'd suggest the infamous Kiwi company Hell Pizza just delivers up to the towers. See, Jaunted solves problems.

Related Stories:
· Air NZ Forced To Cancel Flights Due To Lunch Breaks [The Age]
· No Boundary This Kiwi Pizza Chain Won't Cross [Jaunted]
· New Zealand Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: superciliousness]

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Spring is Here But Heli-Skiing Awaits You in New Zealand

March 20, 2009 at 9:41 AM | by amandak | 2 Comments

Today is the official day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere but we can't seem to shake our powder lust.

While we thought we still weren't quite rich enough for heli-skiing, a recent Age review of heli-skiing down near Queenstown in New Zealand caught our eye, we've discovered you can hit the adventurous slopes for less than we thought.

The whole idea of a helicopter dropping us into a tricky spot in the mountains so we can throw ourselves down some untouched snow is not only decadent, but pretty tempting, although our ski skills probably need some refreshing first.

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Tour New Zealand, Beam Embarrassing Videos Back Home

December 16, 2008 at 9:35 AM | by amandak | 0 Comments

The tourism board down in New Zealand is determined to be modern and they've done a pretty good job with their newest idea. The Have Your Say campaign has a mobile recording studio traveling around the whole country recording YouTube videos so tourists can tell their friends and family how amazing New Zealand is.

The Kiwis are hoping this combination of social media and word of mouth marketing gets a whole bunch of positive messages out to the world about why everybody should visit the country. What you can actually see so far is a bunch of camera-shy travelers not really knowing what to say, but it is entertaining in a weird kind of way.

The mobile studio is in Auckland now and after Christmas will spend four months stopping in 40 different locations around New Zealand. Keep an eye out for it if you're traveling in Kiwi land in early 2009, because we're dying to see how embarrassing your message home can be.

Related Stories:
· Pure NZ Have Your Say [Official Site]
· Tourism Radio is Watching Your Every Move in New Zealand [Jaunted]
· New Zealand Travel coverage [Jaunted]

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Tourism Radio Is Watching Your Every Move in New Zealand

December 2, 2008 at 9:30 AM | by amandak | 0 Comments

Ever wanted to feel like someone's spying on you as you drive around a foreign country? Then Tourism Radio in New Zealand has read your mind (as any good spy should).

What they're doing isn't actually illegal at all, don't get us wrong. These guys fit a little device to rental cars which includes a GPS system, and then it broadcasts radio stories through the car to entertain and education you on your journey around New Zealand.

The GPS bit figures out where you are so the radio can make timely announcements about sightseeing highlights as you get near them, and it gives you a bit of a cultural input since it uses "common phrases and kiwi voices for an authentic listening experience."

Tourism Radio started in South Africa about three years ago so it's starting to spread. But we can't help feeling we don't want a little black box following our every travelling move. It's bad enough in New Zealand with all those sheep watching you.

Related Stories:
· Tourism Radio New Zealand [Official Site]
· Tourists To Get Their Own Radio Station [Stuff]
· New Zealand Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: scotteye]

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Bungee Turns 20: Happy Birthdaaaaaaaaaaaay!

November 19, 2008 at 9:00 AM | by amandak | 0 Comments

We've been thinking lately that bungee jumping is becoming an adventure sport of yesterday--and we just figured out why. Tourists have been leaping off tall things for an elastic adrenaline rush for 20 years now!

This month is the anniversary of the first paying customers at the Kawarau Bridge bungee jump in Queenstown, New Zealand. The two Kiwis who started it are now multi-millionaires and have had two million customers throw themselves off bridges.

If bungee jumping has turned 20, and we clearly remember when it started, then that makes us older than we thought. Heck, feeling old is enough to make someone want to jump off a bridge. Queenstown, here we come.

Related Stories:
· The Bungee Jump is 20 Years Old [UK Times]
· Go Where Bond Has Gone Before [Jaunted]
· New Zealand Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Foraggio Fotographic]

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New Zealand Travel: Jetstar Wants Its Piece of the Pie

September 29, 2008 at 9:30 AM | by amandak | 0 Comments

Qantas low-cost spin-off Jetstar has caught our attention again. Although we were quite distracted by its online rugby game, Jetstar has been busy elsewhere, starting rumors that they're going to gatecrash New Zealand and start up domestic flights across the country.

Locally-based airlines Air New Zealand and Pacific Blue aren't too keen on the idea. They're pretty sure there's only room for the two of them in the Kiwi domestic market and haven't enjoyed sharing a few routes with Qantas already.

When you stop to think about it, most tourists don't even need to fly around New Zealand anyway: Driving or camping are much more in. But since we still love that virtual rugby from Jetstar, we'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

Related Stories:
· Jetstar Could Enter (NZ) Domestic Market [Stuff.co.nz]
· Sports Travel: Rugby League, Virtual Style [Jaunted]
· Jetstar coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: monkeyc.net]

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Air New Zealand Wants Your Head

September 10, 2008 at 1:30 PM | by egw | 0 Comments

Airlines are only getting started selling all the available space in their cabins to pad their bottom lines with ad dollars. But Air New Zealand's newest campaign is casting in a way that makes us suspect they know where their message will be impossible to ignore--by using nature's billboard.

The carrier is currently seeking people with shaved heads to carry temporary-tattoo advertising, stealing from the grand tradition of Goldenpalace.com to announce its check-in changes. The biggest of these is the move from a weight-based baggage system to a piece-based system; first bag is free up to 25 kilograms, with a NZ$15 ($10) charge for the second bag, NZ$50 for the third and NZ$150 for the fourth and up.

What does this have to do with some dude (or lady)'s bald pate? Beats us, because by the time you're stuck on the plane staring at it it's too late to repack. What's next, banner ads for the whale tail?

Related Stories:
· Airline to Offer Bald Facts on New Service [AP, via Yahoo]
· Air NZ Heads up New Ad Campaign [Stuff.co.nz]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: nicholas lee nicholas]