• Tourism New Zealand has officially launched a new holiday season – Recharge Season – and is encouraging Kiwis to book a recharging holiday
• The decision to launch a new season is in response to the exceptional level of fatigue facing the nation – with 42% of New Zealanders saying 2020 has made them wearier than ever*
• Leading psychologist Jacqui Maguire says meaningful recharge involves both passive (rest) and active recovery. To optimise your downtime, it’s helpful to plan how you’ll engage in meaningful activities

Tourism New Zealand has officially launched a new holiday season – Recharge Season – and is encouraging Kiwis to book a holiday that will leave them feeling refreshed and ready for the year ahead.

The new season is in response to a recent survey commissioned by Tourism New Zealand that revealed almost half of Kiwis feel that 2020 has impacted their levels of fatigue more than any year in recent memory, and almost a third of New Zealanders finished their summer holidays still feeling worn out.

As a nation, we’re more weary than ever given the events of 2020, and at this time of year, people tend to take a ‘flop and drop’ break where they do nothing, when in actual fact, it is widely acknowledged that an ‘active’ break will leave you feeling more recharged.

Leading psychologist Jacqui Maguire says that when we are fatigued and feeling like we’ve exhausted our mental and physical capacity, a ‘drop and sloth’ holiday is often what we are drawn too. Whilst there is no doubt rest is an important component of recovery, it’s by no means the complete answer to a recharging holiday.

“Research indicates that to recover from fatigue and stress, people need to engage in activities which produce positive emotions and boost their sense of autonomy, relatedness, and competence. This includes participating in creative, physical, social and intellectual activities,” says Maguire.

Furthermore, Jacqui notes that travel holidays are known to boost overall wellbeing. Visiting new places and engaging in local cultural activities decreases stress, boosts life satisfaction and enhances people’s perspectives on their life, resilience and creativity.

Finally, Jacqui says the possibility that active recovery may also prevent future fatigue and stress.

Building wellbeing toolsthrough meaningful activities with others can be used in the future to problem solve and navigate life’s overwhelm and challenges.

* Dynata research of 1000 New Zealanders, commissioned for Tourism New Zealand in 2021 

Recharge season will run from April 27 to June 6th to encourage all New Zealanders to book a short break and recharge. Doing something new, whether it’s physical, cultural, or creative will leave Kiwis feeling refreshed for the year ahead.

Bjoern Spreitzer, Tourism New Zealand General Manager Domestic, commented, “New Zealand is one of the world’s top tourism destinations, and we’re thankful that so many New Zealanders have taken the opportunity to explore more of their own backyard in recent months.”

“The launch of Recharge Season is another timely reminder to any Kiwis feeling weary or fatigued to get out and about. Doing something new by connecting with culture or seeking out those awe-inspiring landscapes can leave us feeling refreshed and recharged for the year ahead.”

Tips for planning a recharging holiday:

1. Physical activity can recharge you mentally and physically: Numerous studies have supported the idea of physical activity acting as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative treatment – try challenging activities such as surfing, mountain biking or hiking.

2. Seek out new and extraordinary experiences: Trying something new, or seeing something that inspires awe, can improve your psychological outlook and improve your feelings of optimism, gratitude and love. Try stargazing, seek out scenic views from a mountain-top or visit a Kauri forest for the first time.

3. Partake in a new or challenging activity: Research from Harvard Medical School has indicated that learning new experiences helps maintain cognitive skills and alertness. Activities such as cross-country orienteering, sailing or even kiteboarding are good examples.

4. Creativity can recharge you: Non-work-related creative activity can help recharge you – improving your overall productivity and performance levels. Look at indulging in museums, art exhibitions or theatre for some creative inspiration.

5. Sharing experiences can improve your sense of wellbeing: Sharing new experiences with those we love and being more open to new experiences, can help improve imagination, creativity, curiosity and even IQ. Try getting a friend or family member to surprise you with a shared experience.

Find out more about Recharge Season and plan your recharge holiday: Newzealand.com/recharge-season

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