In the news…All about New Zealand

Tourism in New Zealand is the country’s largest export industry with about 2.4 million tourists visiting per year. There was a record 341,000 people visiting the South Pacific island nation last December, the most ever in a single month.
 

Most of the increase came thanks to tourists from Australia (up 14,000), but New Zealand also attracted 2,800 more Americans in December 2009 than a year earlier, which was also a record, according to the government’s statistical office.
 

The country is generally marketed as an environmentally-friendly adventure playground.
Typical destinations are nature areas such as Milford Sound, Abel Tasman National Park and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Popular destinations include Kaikoura, Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Milford Sound and Queenstown. Whale-watching is a highly popular activity.
 

The vast majority of tourist arrivals in New Zealand come through Auckland Airport which handled over eleven million passengers in a recent year..
 

The country is internationally seen as a top holiday destination, shown by receiving awards such as being voted most favorite destination by the readers of the Condé Nast Traveler magazine (specializing in luxury travels) in 2008.
 

Tourism New Zealand, the country’s official tourism agency, is actively promoting the country as a destination worldwide. Recent activities include a NZ$7 million campaign in China.
 

Other facts for tourists to NZ (according to tourism officials:
 

—New Zealand’s seasons are the reverse of the Northern Hemisphere. This means that the warmest months are December, January and February, while the coldest are in June, July and August. Winter’s tend to be short, however, and generally mild.
 

—Dress is informal and relaxed on most occasions. Smart casual clothes are acceptable at most restaurants and night-spots. Men are generally not expected to wear suits and ties, except in a few of the top formal bars and restaurants in major cities. In summer a jacket and sweater should be included in a visitor’s luggage should the weather turn cooler or you visit higher altitudes.
 

—All visitors to New Zealand must carry a passport that is valid for at least three months beyond the date they intend to leave the country. Most visitors who intend to stay for less than three months do not require a visa.
 

—New Zealand’s international airports are at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Some flights from Australia also land at Hamilton, Palmerston North, Queenstown and Dunedin.
 

—New Zealand offers a wide range of accommodations from top-class hotels, exclusive lodges, motels, guest houses, and farm or homestays to holiday parks and backpacker hostels. Visitors might also like the freedom to discover New Zealand at their own pace in a campervan.
 

Visitors here quickly learn about the Kiwi, New Zealand’s national emblem. It’s a flightless bird with hair-like feathers and a long, slender bill which it uses to pull worms and insects out of the ground. Found only in New Zealand, it is active at night in the wilderness areas of the country. Zoos all across the country offer them under special “nocturnal” lighting.
 

And New Zealanders often refer themselves to Kiwis.
 

By David Wilkening