It’s a deal

Pure Rotorua spring water, manufactured by Rotorua company Waipa Springs Ltd., is about to be launched into the marketplace. The baby of Ivan Purvis, who also brews a range of local beers at his Waipa Brewery plant, the bottled water comes from a local spring. Destination Rotorua Marketing has supported this initiative. GM Don Gunn says by working alongside Ivan to brand the spring water with Rotorua’s Feel the Spirit logo, DRTM will receive a contribution from every bottle sold to put back into the promotion of the city. He adds “It’s a win win situation for us both.”

Big day for our Ruth

Hearty congratulations to DRTM Assistant GM Ruth McIntyre who is marrying local man Shane Crampton this Friday, April 4, in Rotorua – and then heading off on a Fijian honeymoon. All the very best from the DRTM team. Ruth will return to work (after eight months on maternity leave) on May 12. Congratulations also to C & I Co-ordinator Melissa Gray who got engaged to Scott Clarke at Easter.

Good cause for sore feet

The T.Birds and the Pink Ladies were the men’s and women’s teams fielded by present and former staff members of Events and Venues and DRTM (plus friends and family) in the Relay for Life held over the weekend. A fundraising event for the Cancer Society of New Zealand, the Relay for Life saw teams of 10 (or more) complete a non-stop 20-hour relay walking or running around the International Stadium from 2pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday. The two teams jointly raised close to $2500.

La oficina de turismo

DRTM (la oficina de turismo – the tourism office) was thrilled to launch its fourth stand-alone foreign language website last week. Following on from our Japanese, Chinese and Korean sites, the Spanish language version – www.rotoruaNZ.es – is geared to users in South America, Spain and Mexico. The launch was timed to coincide with GM Don Gunn’s visit to Spain as part of the Pacific Destinationz roadshow beginning in Europe today.

Warm fuzzies from across ditch

Received this nice feedback from Anna McGeoch, a researcher for Nine Network Australia’s Getaway TV programme, in regard to our main website. Anna reckons the rotoruaNZ.com site is “so fantastic” for the range of information, city facts and tourism activities. She said the site is “really great compared with other sites I go on”. Anna said we probably already knew that about our site, however we really appreciated the positive feedback. If you agree, why not vote for rotoruaNZ.com in the 2008 People’s Choice Web Awards organised annually by NetGuide in the Best New Site, Relaunch, Innovation category. Click here to vote > > >

Web stats

Thrilling to learn that, based on Google Analytics’ new Benchmarking (Beta) system, DRTM’s rotoruaNZ.com attracted 216% more visitors than ‘vacation destinations’ websites of a similar size in the period from February 25 to March 25. Browsers also stayed 14% longer with the average length of stay stretching from 6:52 minutes to 7:50 minutes – and almost 10% of visitors looked at more than 20 pages. We had 17 visits to the site where from Apple iPhone users and 15 people also printed up a copy of the newly loaded Rotorua Arts Trail brochure. Our Korean website – rotoruaNZ.co.kr - recorded a huge burst of activity in the past month (Feb 25 to Mar 25) with a 39.68% increase in unique user visits as well as a 67.69% increase in pageviews. Browsers also stayed 32.45% longer, recording visits of 5:46 minutes on average.

Online is the popular choice

Key findings in the latest Regional Visitor Monitor, a partnership between the Ministry of Tourism, TNZ and six major RTO’s including Rotorua, show that accommodation is increasingly being booked online. Close to half (45%) of all respondents surveyed preferred this booking method in the year to December 2007. The survey also noted that the expectations of visitors are increasing. Since the beginning of the survey in 2006, expectations of international visitors have increased in a number of areas such as beautiful scenery (up 5% to 66%), safety (up 4% to 65%) and friendliness of people (up 3% to 72%). The same trend is evident among domestic travellers. Satisfaction levels are stable showing that on average travellers in New Zealand RVM regions continue to be pleased with their travel experiences with a score of eight out of 10. However, the proportion of visitors that describe themselves as highly satisfied has fallen to 70% in the 2007 period, a drop of 4% since the survey began. The eighth edition of the national benchmark report includes special analyses on business travellers. For more information click here.

New Zealand International Visitor Arrivals (IVA)

International visitor arrivals to New Zealand for the month of January 2008 were up 2.7% over January 2007. Arrivals were up from Australia (up 8.3%), US (up 14.9%), China (up 13%) and Germany (up 2.5%). There were fewer arrivals from the UK (down 7.2%), Japan (down 17.3%) and Korea (down 22.7%). 

Rotorua Commercial Accommodation Monitor (CAM)

Visitor arrivals to Rotorua commercial accommodation providers for the month of January 2008 were up 8.7% over January 2007. Domestic visitor nights were up 4.7% and international visitor nights were up 4.1%, resulting in a 4.4% increase in visitor nights overall. Nationally, visitor nights spent in commercial accommodation for the same period increased by 2.2%.

Rotorua Attraction Monitor

Visits to Rotorua Attraction Monitor participant businesses for the month of January 2008 were down 7.9% over January 2007. For the same period domestic attraction visits were down 20.9% and international attraction visits were down 1.1%. 

For more information or to subscribe to any of the above monitors, contact DRTM's Research Co-ordinator, Gina George on (07) 349 7289 or email gina@rotoruaNZ.com

Rotorua man appointed acting CE

Rotorua’s Oscar Nathan will take up the role of Acting Chief Executive of TIA next week, Tuesday, April 11. A current TIA Board member, Oscar will work from TIA’s office three days a week until a new chief executive is appointed to replace Fiona Luhrs. Fiona is moving to a new role with TIA focusing on projects relating to the implementation of the industry’s strategy to become sustainable. A tourism consultant, Oscar has held a number of senior positions in the tourism industry including chief executive roles with Tamaki Tours and Destination Rotorua Marketing. He currently chairs MITR, Rotorua’s Maori RTO, works for the Poutama Business Trust and is a director on the board of Te Puia.

Haven for travellers

Muriaroha Lodge has rebranded itself and will be known as Serenity Lodge as of April 1. New Manager Keith Smith says his focus will be on ensuring lodge guests are provided with comfortable, homely accommodation in a setting filled with old world charm. The lodge has three villas ranging from double bedroom with en suite to a fully self-contained two-bedroom villa. Keith previously owned and ran Ngongotaha’s Woolley Bugger café and prior to that Mita’s Indonesian restaurant.

Happy swinger

A lucky golf swing earned a visiting Englishman $1000 at Off Road NZ last month. After a host of near misses and plenty of tall stories, the Off Road NZ Golf-Hole-in-1 $1000 challenge was finally conquered by Craig Jones, a security guard from Surrey in the UK. In New Zealand for a month as part of year-long world trip, Craig was elated to have some extra spending money to add to his travel fund. Off Road NZ’s Marketing Manager Sandra Blackledge invites any budding Tiger Woods or Michael Campbell’s to come to test their hole-in-I green. “If you manage to get the difficult, but certainly not impossible Hole-in-1 Challenge, we’ll be happy to hand you $1000 cash on the spot.”

Gorgeous bride

Te Puia’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Kelly Stewart (nee Whitehead) made a stunning bride when she married her long-time sweetheart Grant Stewart in Skyline Skyrides Redwood Sails area on February 16. Kelly reckons the day was “awesome”.

US ride plus tattoo for winner

The rider who crosses the finish line first at Rotorua’s inaugural Pig and Whistle NZ Singlespeed Mountain Bike Championship on Anzac weekend, April 25-27, is assured of a spot at the World Champs in Napa, California, in August – and a tattoo! Graeme Simpson, one of the local singlespeed champs organising team, says although only 400 of the more than 1000 people worldwide who apply for World’s entry will make the cut, the US organisers have agreed to keep one place open for the inaugural NZ champ. And the tattoo? Graeme says getting a tattoo is a winning singlespeed tradition- and one they intend to uphold. Both the first man and first woman across the line will receive a tattoo - and it will be a case of “No tattoo, no title”, according to Graeme. The design, by local artist Bryony Edwards, incorporates bike chain rings and fern leaves with a blend of New Zealand and Pacific imagery, will be implemented by Rotorua’s Globus Gallery. For online entry for the local event, go to  www.riderotorua.com

Wiggley bus route

Cath Weston, the Rotorua Promotions Co-ordinator for Shop Rotorua, has asked us to circulate details of the Wiggley bus - and the correct route map – so click here >>> for the latest update.

Flying fish?  

The World Fly Fishing Championships wrapped up over the weekend with a closing ceremony at the Village Green following by a parade from the Village Green to the band rotunda in Government Gardens. The route was lined with trout artworks commissioned by Creative Rotorua. Prior to the parade, the highly colourful art pieces were on display at event headquarters, the Kingsgate Hotel, as well as at various sites around the city where they drew many compliments from anglers, visitors, locals and hotel guests. DRTM in conjunction with EV took the opportunity to brand one of the competition’s support boats, pictured. A Conservation Symposium, covering lakes restoration and health programmes in Rotorua, was also held on Saturday; no doubt they discussed last Wednesday’s announcement by Prime Minister Helen Clark that the government is to commit $72.1 million over 10 years to help clean up Rotorua lakes.

New minimum wage rate info

The Department of Labour has approached DRTM and asked us to let businesses know about the introduction of a new minimum wage rate that will come into effect on Tuesday, April 1. The new adult rate is $12 per hour before tax while the minimum youth rate is being replaced with a minimum New Entrant rate for 16 and 17-year-olds. Youth who are supervising other workers are entitled to no less than the adult minimum rate from the outset, otherwise youth can enter the workforce at $9.60 per hour until they have either worked 200 hours or been in work for three months (whichever comes first). After that time, all youth are entitled to be paid no less than the adult rate. Dept of Labour fact sheets are available for both employees and employers.

Pretty good cook

Acclaimed Wellington culinary expert Ruth Pretty is coming to Rotorua in support of the Rotorua Community Hospice this week. Widely regarded as Wellington's top caterer and cooking school host, Ruth and her catering team will be in the city on Thursday, April 3, to do a cooking demonstration at the Distinction Hotel from 7pm to 10pm. Organised by the Rotary Club of Rotorua Sunrise as a fundraiser for hospice, the evening is billed as “an enjoyable evening of enlightenment in Ruth's world of cuisine”. Tickets, $60 pp, can be purchased from Orb in Arawa Street, MacKenzie Country in Tutanekai Street, or by phoning Kay Clarke on 362 8879.

R & D Tax credit availability

Businesses conducting eligible research and development (R & D) will be able to claim a tax credit of 15c in the dollar of allowable expenditure from the start of the 08/09 income tax year. Eligibility will be based on several factors: the business must operate in New Zealand, must carry out eligible R & D activities related to its current or intended business, and must control the R & D, bear the financial risk, and own the results. Click here > > > for more info from the Inland Revenue website.

Double act

Ria and Sonny Galvin are well known as the owner/operators of Superia Tours.  The couple have recently expanded their horizons by taking over the Experience Rotorua Information Centre at 1229 Fenton Street. Sonny is now managing the guiding of their Superia Tours business while Ria is managing the information centre and booking office. She says it’s working really well as her language skills (she speaks four languages) are a real asset in the information centre while visitors love having a local Maori (Sonny) guiding their tour.   

Change of emphasis

Kiri Atkinson-Crean’s current position as Tamaki Tamaki Heritage Experience’s National Sales and Marketing Manager will undergo a change of emphasis next month (April 25). A redefined position within the Tamaki group will mean she will focus on strategy and new product development including Tamaki’s latest venture due to open at Manukau in 2010. Her new role will see her help drive the long-awaited Tamaki storytelling strategy. Kiri says “the projects within the strategy will eventually result in a re-alignment of Tamaki products to fit more snugly within this story and see new product partnerships forged with complimentary tourism product throughout New Zealand and the Pacific.” Nadine Toetoe comes back to her role as Tamaki’s National Sales Manager on her return from maternity leave on May 5.

New face at EV

Brett Jeffery will join the newly rebranded Events and Venues Rotorua (formerly Event Venues) as their Sales and Marketing Manager next month. Brett is currently the C & I Sales Manager for Millennium Hotels and Resorts in Rotorua. EV’s General Manager, Peter McLeod, says Brett brings a good mix of tourism and hospitality industry experience to the role and specialist knowledge of the C & I sector. Brett replaces Diana Moore who left at the end of February - see next news item.

New challenge

Diana Moore left Event Venues Rotorua in February to take up a new role as Country Manager for a Thai company, lebua Hotels & Resorts, in early March. Based in Rotorua, Diana will manage lebua’s interests in Australasia, including the exclusive Lake Okareka Lodge. Announcing the appointment, lebua CEO Deepak Ohri said the company was delighted Diana had joined them. “She has brought a wealth of international hospitality experience, knowledge of the New Zealand and Australian visitor markets and a track record for successful business development in tourism.” Diana was formerly the Sales and Marketing Manager for Event Venues and a board member of Conventions and Incentives New Zealand. Brett Jeffery has taken over her seat on the CINZ board.

Changing of the guard

Andrea Crengle stepped down from her role as Conference Sales Manager at Rydges Rotorua last month to make way for Kathrine Pearce, who has returned from maternity leave.

Baby news

Dean and Tiffany Short’s second child, Gabrielle Rhiannon, arrived on Leap Year Day, February 29. Dean worked at the Tourism Rotorua Travel Office and Information Centre for many years before moving to the courthouse as registrar. Kristy and Lance McCullough became proud first-time parents on February 28 with the birth of twins, whom they have named Benjamin and Jessica. Many of you will have had dealings with Kristy through the production of DRTM collateral at Zero Seven where she worked as a graphic designer. Baby No.3 isn’t due until June 5. New Mum –to-be Emily Pritchard, Event Manager at Events and Venues, is to go on maternity leave on May 30.

Bikes on credit?

Have you spotted those groovy looking bikes at the visitor centre? They are the inspiration of Auckland-based Julian Hulls of GoodGear Ltd. GoodGear’s lock and release hire bikes were launched in Rotorua (along with Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland) in early March. The simple system means the bikes are available for hire from designated spots 24 hours a day. Riders simply register a phone number and credit card, find a stand of bikes, make a call and follow the simple instructions. Once finished, users return the bike and make a second phone call to end the ride. The cost is sent to the credit card.

Instinctive move

Mike Parker of Action Adventure Rentals branched out in a different direction last month with the launch of a new company, Basic Instincts Hunting and Fishing. The new business offers specialised hunting and fishing trips in the central and lower North Island. Mike says having access to prime hunting blocks on more than 3000 acres privately owned land means he is in a great position to offer some great hunting and fishing trips to visitors keen to explore beyond Rotorua’s city limits. The new company is fuelled by Mike’s twin passions of flying helicopters and his enjoyment of the great outdoors.

Shoot only photographs

A 4WD safari is the latest product offering from Treetops Lodge and Wilderness Experience. Led by an expert 4WD driver/guide, guests on the new Treetops 4WD Safari Experience get a chance to explore the 2500 acre estate and make close contact with the estate’s wildlife including stags, water buffalo and a variety of exotic birdlife. Stops to explore ancient Maori trails and study native flora used by the ancient Maori adds a twist to the new 4WD experience. General Manager Heiko Kaiser says the tour is available to lodge guests, as a day-trip experience or tailored for larger groups by arrangement.

Quest comes to town

The Quest brand comes to Rotorua with the opening of Quest Rotorua on May 15. The former Kiwi Villas complex in Tryon Street has had complete refurb and is ready to join Quest’s line up of more than 110 motel and apartment complexes spread across Australasia and Fiji. Quest Rotorua has 39 units including 28 studios with tea/coffee facilities and 11 one-bedroom units with basic kitchen facilities. The complex also features a large heated swimming pool two spas, a sauna, barbecue and landscaped gardens.

Best in Australasia

One of Rotorua’s luxury lodge’s, Solitaire Lodge at Lake Tarawera, has been recognised not once but twice in the highly prestigious World Travel Awards.
Now in their 15th year, the awards acknowledge top-class products in a variety of fields throughout the world. Solitaire Lodge won two of these prestigious awards; New Zealand’s Leading Resort as well as Australasia’s Leading Resort. Manager Martin Dunlop believes their high standard of hospitality, service, facilities and visitor experience offered at the old-established lodge have combined to make Solitaire Lodge an award-winning property.

Pooling his resources

After almost a year with the Nelson City Council, Steve Gibling has resigned from his Community Liaison Advisor – Recreation role to take up a new challenge in the Garden City. The former Event Manager for Event Venues in Rotorua is to manage the Christchurch City Council owned Jellie Park pool complex currently nearing the end of a 14-month, $12m refurbishment. Steve will move to Christchurch to take up his new role in two weeks, while wife Rachael, DRTM’s former Domestic and Events Co-ordinator, is hoping their house in Nelson sells quickly so she can join Steve ASAP.

Another to Christchurch

Former Tourism Bay of Plenty GM Jim Little, who left the RTO in 2005 to join Tauranga-based Reserve Group as their Marketing Manager, has moved to Christchurch to establish a company profile in the South Island.

Two special men in her life

Former Event Venues and DRTM staffer Joyce Fletcher moved to Palmerston North last November to be with a special man in her life, and that special man became her fiancé on February 29 (well it was Leap Year when a girl can ask a guy, says Joyce). Joyce says she also has another “lovely” man in her life, MP Steve Maharey, whom she joined last month in an Out of Parliament Support role.

Surviving hurly burly

Remember Christine Leaf from Film Volcanic? Christine must have what some people would say is a dream job; she works on the top-rating Survivor television show. Still Rotorua-based, Christine is one of a crew of 300 who manage all aspects of the reality TV series. She is just about to head off to Africa for three and half months as part of the next series. Tough, but someone’s got to do it! 

Cats play in windy city

Stacey Neale, partner Waylon and son Jade have all landed parts in the upcoming production of CATS musical opening in Wellington on May 22. Stace says with more 300 auditioning, they worked hard to get the parts, with Way scoring one of the lead roles Rumtumtuger. DRTM’s former C & I Co-ordinator is now an administrator with the Architecture and Design Faculty at Victoria University.

Lifestyle mags

DRTM’s former Media Advisor Hannah Blake (nee Stone) was back in Rotorua in mid March to take part in the Kingsgate half marathon walk in Whakarewarewa Forest. Having got that under her belt, Hannah says she is gearing up to walk the Gold Coast half marathon with a friend in July. Hannah has moved on from Peppers Retreats, Lodges and Hotels group, and is now working for Universal Magazines in Sydney. She is the Editor of both Poolside and Poolside Showcase magazine as well as a Contributing Editor to the company’s Luxury Home Design and Contemporary Home Design magazines. Couldn’t resist adding this photograph of Hannah and Dan’s adorable Maltese terrier, Archie.

Travelling on green passport

Visitors are being urged to play a part in the sustainable development of visitor destinations through the "Green Passport" launched by the United Nations. The internet-based campaign aims to raise visitors’ awareness of how they can influence the sustainability of visitor destinations through the decisions they make. Among the suggestions are choosing sustainably responsible service providers; conserving energy resources while travelling; and buying locally made, environmentally friendly souvenirs. The next step of the campaign is to field test the Green Passport in Paraty, Brazil by developing a local strategy to raise visitors’ awareness and then replicate it in other destinations worldwide. 

The Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter already embraces visitors in the sustainability chain by raising awareness that sustainable visitor destinations rely not only on the actions of the host community, but also on the actions of visitors.  Click here > > > to view the Sustainable Visit Rotorua brochure available on the Charter website, in the Rotorua i-SITE and from Charter member businesses.  

To find out more about joining the Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter visit www.sustainableNZ.com or call Eldad Collins on 349 8325 or Gina George on 349 7289.

100K Flyer Rotorua to Taupo
April 5, from Kingsgate Hotel

Paul Potts in concert
April 11, Energy Events Centre

Xterra New Zealand
Off road festival including triathlon, running and walking events.
April 12, Blue Lake

Kids’ Bike Jam
For five to 13-year-olds.
April 13, Whakarewarewa Forest

Netball
Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic v. Northern Mystics
Round 2 of the ANZ Netball Championships
April 13, Energy Events Centre

NZ University Games
April 14-17, various venues

Tagged Trout Tournament
April 19-20, Lake Rotorua

SPARC Real Women's Duathlon
April 20, Whakarewarewa Forest

Pinarello R4
Rotorua to Whakatane cycle ride
April 26, from Ibis Hotel

We have collected your contact details. This information is collected to enable us to keep you up to date with tourism news pertinent to the Rotorua tourism market and keep you informed of the activities of the Destination Rotorua Marketing office. We will not disclose your contact details to third parties.

Jill Marshall
Communications Manager
Destination Rotorua Marketing
Private Bag 3007, Rotorua
Phone +64 7 349 7285
Fax +64 7 349 4133
jill@rotoruaNZ.com