Intercity Helps To Deliver Over $3.5m To 'Naki

10 April 2006

Intercity Helps To Deliver Over $3.5m To Local Taranaki Economy

InterCity Coachlines has experienced a 12 percent growth in international passenger numbers travelling to Taranaki over the past 12 months to February 2006. This equates to delivery of 14,000 visitors to the region.

Sales and Marketing Manager for InterCity Group, Daniel Rode, says this increase helps to provide positive flow-on effects to the local tourism industry.

“If each of these 14,000 visitors stayed an average of 2 nights in Taranaki, this adds to 28,000 bed nights, incorporating the national average international visitor spend of $130 per night, this roughly equates to over $3.5 million being spent locally[1]” he says.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton says they’re delighted to see an increase in visitors to the Taranaki region.

“InterCity is a key tourism partner that is assisting us with our strategy to increase the spread of visitors to all regions. We know that visitors to New Zealand have the most satisfying time when they go slow and savour regions such as Taranaki rather than race through all of the country,” he said.

InterCity Group plans to increase this growth through a number of key initiatives, such as the Extreme Saver from $10 Fare from Auckland to Taranaki and vice-versa. In addition, InterCity Coachlines is New Zealand’s only long distance passenger transport system for the majority of communities throughout New Zealand.

“Through the Extreme Saver fare people are rediscovering coaches as a convenient, cost-effective option to travel from A to B. We are currently rolling out this special fare across key destinations nationwide.”

“Extreme Saver fares not only encourage international tourists arriving in Auckland to make the trip down to Taranaki, but also motivates our regular Kiwi travellers to hop on a coach to New Plymouth more often,” says Mr Rode.

InterCity Coachlines carry 1.1 million passengers each year and operates 130 daily services to 600 cities and towns throughout New Zealand. Coaches are spacious, modern, well-equipped and air conditioned so passengers arrive feeling relaxed and ready to enjoy their destination.

There are two services every day in each direction between New Plymouth - Auckland and points in between, with limited Extreme Saver from $10 fares available on the morning service from Auckland and the afternoon service from New Plymouth

The morning service from Auckland departs the Sky City Coach Terminal at 7.40am everyday and makes a comfort stop in Hamilton and then a 30 minute stop at The Big Apple at 10.40am, before continuing south to arrive in New Plymouth at 2.00pm. The afternoon service departs Auckland at 12.30pm Monday to Saturday and makes refreshments stops in Hamilton at 2.25pm and Te Kuiti at 4.10pm arriving in New Plymouth at 6.45pm. On Sundays, the service departs Auckland at 3.00pm and makes a comfort stop in Hamilton at 4.55pm and refreshment stop in Te Kuiti at 6.10pm before arriving in New Plymouth at 9.00pm.

The morning service from New Plymouth departs The Travel Centre at 8.00am everyday and makes a refreshment stop in Te Kuiti at 10.20am and in Hamilton at 11.55am, before continuing north to arrive in Auckland at 2.30pm. The afternoon service departs New Plymouth at 2.20pm daily, except Friday, and makes a refreshment stop in Mokau at 3.20pm and in Hamilton at 6.10pm arriving in Auckland at 8.20pm. On Fridays, the service departs New Plymouth at 3.20pm and makes refreshment stops in Mokau at 4.30pm and in Hamilton at 7.15pm arriving in Auckland at 9.10pm.

The full schedule of stops is as follows Auckland – Manukau City – Papakura – Bombay – Huntly – Ngaruawahia – Hamilton – Ohaupo – Te Awamutu – Kihikihi – Otorohanga – The Big Apple – Te Kuiti – Pio Pio – Awakino – Mokau – Urenui – Waitara – New Plymouth and vice-versa.

Extra departures are added at peak periods. All services use spacious, modern air-conditioned coaches with reclining seats and panoramic windows.

Extreme Saver fares are subject to availability, and special conditions apply. Passengers will need to book in advance to take advantage of the Extreme Saver from $10 fare. This can be done on www.intercitycoach.co.nz or at any InterCity agent nationwide (New Plymouth agent call 06 759 9039. In addition to Extreme Saver fares, InterCity is also offering fares from $35 between Auckland and New Plymouth and vice-versa.

www.intercitycoach.co.nz

[1] Figures obtained from Tourism Research Council of New Zealand and Venture Taranaki

© Scoop Media