New partnership aimed at driving tourism

Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism has struck a strategic partnership with New Zealand’s largest privately-owned car rental company in a move it hopes will drive more people to explore the heart of the South Island.

The three-year partnership agreement with Apex Car Rentals will see the company working with CCT to promote self-drive holidays in the South Island.

Announcing the partnership, Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive Christine Prince says through forming strategic partnerships with key movers in the South Island tourism industry, Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism can expand its marketing reach and pioneer exciting new initiatives.

“Apex is a local company that has grown rapidly and is now at the forefront of the car rental industry in New Zealand. It’s very innovative in its approach and we see synergies between what we’re trying to do in promoting our region and what they’re trying to do in promoting their business,’’ Ms Prince says.

Phil Lennon and Tony Quinlivan founded Apex in Christchurch in 1992 with a fleet of just six cars. Now they have 3,500 vehicles across the country and operate 14 branches throughout New Zealand including the Southern Hemisphere’s largest dedicated rental car facility, located at Auckland International Airport.

The Apex Rentals group operates three brands: Apex Rental Cars
( www.apexrentals.co.nz) , About New Zealand Rental Cars
( www.rentalcar.co.nz ), and Roadtrip Rentals www.roadtriprentals.co.nz.

The company was the first in New Zealand to introduce an instant-confirmation online booking system for rental cars and prides itself on the way it has used cutting-edge technology to improve customer service.

“The market for rental cars in New Zealand has grown enormously in the last few years and Apex has been at the forefront of that expansion,’’ says Mr Lennon “Our philosophy though has remained unchanged from when we started off the company. Our goal has always been to make the process of renting a car as simple as possible for the customer and to provide them with a uniquely Kiwi service. We call this “the Kiwi way”.

“We don’t just hand over the keys to a vehicle and wave the customer off. We make sure they have the right vehicle for their needs and that they have all the information they could want at their fingertips. Our focus is on providing a hospitable welcome and a personal service.

“We tailor our advice and packages so the visitor gets the best experience,’’ adds Mr Quinlivan. “We often have international visitors arriving who are surprised there is a vast expanse of water between the North and South Island. We have formed a strategic partnership with Interislander that makes the process of crossing Cook Strait seamless. Our mandate is to help the visitor and ensure they are armed with enough information that they’ll want to see the whole country.

“Everything we do is about making the experience enjoyable and hassle-free for our customers, particularly our visitors from overseas.’’

Apex also operates a ski package holiday company called Ski New Zealand ( www.skinewzealand.co.nz ), where people can book their entire ski holiday – from accommodation and transportation to ski hire and lift passes - online. The website features an online calculator that allows people to work out exactly how much their ski holiday will cost – either in New Zealand or Australian dollars.

Mr Quinlivan says the company’s fleet of vehicles includes everything from brand new four-wheel drives to used Japanese imports and is designed to cater for the needs of all customers, regardless of their budget.

ENDS

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