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New Zealand Sandfly Plague
2007-11-20 03:13:00 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 ... More About: New Zealand , Zealand
NZ ranked 5th for car theft
2007-11-12 04:24:00 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 ... More About: Theft
Hike Safely, use a distress beacon
2007-11-12 03:56:00 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 ... More About: Hike , Beacon
Earthquake hits South Island
2007-10-17 23:09:00 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 ... More About: Earthquake , Island , South , Hits
Martial Law Reinstated in Fiji ??.again
2007-09-11 01:13:00 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 ... More About: Martial Law , Martial
Fourth Airline for NZ Domestic ?
2007-09-11 00:44:00 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 ... More About: Domestic , Airline , Dome
New NZ Domestic Airline
2007-08-29 07:18:00 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 ... More About: Domestic , Airline , Dome
New Zealand Avalanche Season
2007-08-16 01:35:00 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 ... More About: Season , Avalanche , Seas
Pot Holes Plague Roads
2007-08-07 01:00:00 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 ... More About: Holes , Roads
NZ Ski Report
2007-08-01 05:24:00 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 ... More About: Report
Visitor nights increase despite high New Zealand dollar
2007-07-11 23:36:00 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 ... More About: Dollar , Visitor , High , Ease
Black Ice
2007-07-11 01:56:00 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 ... More About: Black , Lack
School Holiday Skiing
2007-07-09 07:10:00 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 ... More About: Holiday , School , Skiing
Snow for South Island Ski Fields
2007-06-21 01:47:00 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 ... More About: Island , Snow , South , Field , Fields
Air NZ crash landing
2007-06-18 09:18:00 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. More About: Crash , Landing
Small Gain in Visitor Nights
2007-06-14 02:25:00 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 ... More About: Small , Visitor , Visi , Visit , Sito
Accommodation Rates Remain Static
2007-06-11 00:48:00 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 ... More About: Accommodation , Stat , Comm , Rates , Rate
Trust your Travel Agent?
2007-06-07 02:02:00 With Air New Zealand recent announcement of their online sales surpassing $1 billion in a financial year for the first time, it appears that more people are shunning travel agents.A recent guest to New Zealand told me an interesting story regarding travel planning and his experiences involving a large chain of Australian travel agents. Before the ... More About: Travel , Agent , Trust , Rust , Gent
Vehicle Burglary Epidemic
2007-05-24 23:47:00 The insurance council have just released disturbing figures for car burglary or theft from vehicles. The council reported 50 000 claims for losses or damage to parked cars caused by thieves breaking into vehicles in the last year. Insurance firms believe that this figure could be much higher as many crimes go unreported. Wellington police have ... More About: Vehicle , Demi , Epidemic , Burglary
C Rate B&B Accommodation
2007-05-24 01:21:00 At the recent Trenz 2007 travel industry conference held in Rotorua, A British travel executive from Travelmood UK claims that there are to many B&B?s in New Zealand masquerading as luxury lodges or boutique hotels. The popularity of operating part time life style bed and breakfasts was frustrating inbound travel companies due to the difference ... More About: Accommodation , Comm , Rate , Dati
Illegal Mountain Guides
2007-05-22 02:44:00 The recent court case of a recreation guide fined for running an illegal operation in New Zealand?s Mt Aspiring National Park highlights the potential safety issues faced by his clients. The outdoor recreational guide admitted a charge in the Queenstown District Court of guiding people without a Department of Conservation (DOC) concession. The requirement to hold ... More About: Guides , Illegal , Mountain , Mount , Guid
Squeeze on flying
2007-05-19 03:07:00 With the latest announcement by Air New Zealand that they are going to increase the seating onboard their 737 NZ domestic fleet it makes more sense than ever to tour this country by road. Air NZ is adding one more row or six seats resulting in less leg room on what locals describe as already cramped ... More About: Flying , Squeeze
Audio tour New Zealand
2007-05-17 00:31:00 A great way get the most out of your independent tour of New Zeal and is to use audio guides. Dayout.co.nz offers travel guides to popular New Zealand locations. These guides can be downloaded onto your computer, internet capable PDA, MP3 player or iPod for NZ $ 9.95 for the whole 200 guides. These guides include mini ... More About: Audio , Tour , Land
NZ Toilet training 101
2007-05-07 02:32:00 ?Don?t use New Zealand country side as a toilet? was the message from Queenstown Lakes mayor and councillors at a recent meeting. During a very heated discussion at the board meeting, Queenstown mayor Clive Geddes has suggested that the council support a national policy for freedom campers, in a bid to stop urinating and defecating waterways, picnic ... More About: Training , Toilet , TRAI , Raining
One lane bridges
2007-04-30 01:36:00 Unless you come from rural areas you may not be aware of the one lane bridge sign that are very common on New Zealand roads. Another recent accident between two tourist driving rental cars has once again highlighted the need for visitors to familiarise themselves with this type of traffic hazard. New Zealand country roads and ... More About: Bridges , Lane , Ridge , Bridge
NZ ?ers? travel overseas choose to travel at home?
2007-04-27 01:55:00 New Zealand?s largest newspaper ran an article on Friday April 20, 2007 - ?More NZers travelling overseas? and then on Thursday April 26, 2007 the same paper ran a story ? More NZers choose to travel at home? The latter story was based on a Ministry of Tourism survey of 15000 house holds and concluded that ... More About: Travel , Home , Over , Verse , Choose
NZ Deer Roar results
2007-04-23 00:54:00 The New Zealand annual deer roar hunt has just finished with great results reported from trophy hunters particularly in the South Island. Deer numbers have increased over the years due mainly to the end of decades of helicopter hunting which helped established New Zealand?s farm populations. As these farms carried out breading programs the need ... More About: Results , Result , Roar
Unaccompanied Children to Heavy to Fly
2007-04-11 02:59:00 I have previously talked about the increased tendency to bump passengers from New Zealand flights with a subsequent warning to check in early. The latest story to float around our shores is the story of two unaccompanied children aged 8 and 11 that were bumped of a Qantas flight from Wellington to Australia. The two children where ... More About: Children , Comp , Child , Heavy , Compa
NZ inexpensive hotel rates
2007-04-11 02:33:00 Hotels.com annual Hotel Price Index has been released and show that New Zealand accommodation is among the cheapest in the world. The online agency surveyed 20,000 hotels. The survey showed that the average cost of a hotel room in New Zealand was $153 a night while in the countries larger cities, Wellington proved to be the ... More About: Hotel , Pens , Inex , Rates , Rate
Delays and Who Pays
More articles from this author:2007-03-25 05:32:00 When travelling by air around New Zealand you only have the choice of two airlines, Air NZ covering all the major towns and cities while Qantas only services the main trunk routes, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. Now with this in mind if you are using our regional carriers to connect with a different international airline ... More About: Lays , Pays , Delays 1, 2, 3 |
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