Prize brings Kiwi expats home to promote NZ

MEDIA RELEASE
12 July 2010

“Look how great New Zealand is – now Pass It On!”
Campaign prize brings Kiwi expats home to promote NZ to foreign friends

Four lucky Kiwi expats and four friends have already sampled a thrilling All Blacks win, a stunning meal at a Waiheke Island winery, and the adrenalin buzz of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Climb – and their trip of a lifetime to see the best New Zealand has to offer has only just begun.

The trip – dubbed The Expat Recon Tour – is the major prize in a campaign run by Kea (Kiwi Expat Association) called Pass It On, which aims to connect New Zealand businesses with the rest of the world, using our global community of one million Kiwi expats.

The four Kiwi expats who won a spot on the tour – two originally from Otago, one who grew up in Wellington and one from up the road on the Kapiti Coast – were each invited to bring home a friend who had never been to New Zealand.

The Tour began on Friday in Auckland, and finishes in Wellington next Sunday. It is showing eight well-connected ‘friends of New Zealand’ first hand just some of New Zealand’s most innovative companies and tourist highlights – so when they get back overseas they can Pass It on.

From the dizzying heights of A J Hackett’s Nevis Arc, to the serene surroundings of Waiheke Island’s Cable Bay Vineyards; from Richie McCaw’s pre-Springbok test closed captain’s run, to trout fishing in Taupo – the Expat Recon Tour has it all.

Kea New Zealand Executive Director Ross McConnell says: “Pass It On is all about telling the rest of the world how great New Zealand is, especially as global attention increases ahead of the Rugby World Cup next year. We want to make our global community better ambassadors for our country and Pass It On gives them the tools and incentives to do so”.

With luxury accommodation from Hilton Lake Taupo and Intercontinental Hotels Group, premium economy flights from Air New Zealand, and a series of thrilling activities arranged by Seasonz Sports Travel, the tour is the jewel among $300,000 in prizes available to those who sign up on the Pass It On website (www.passiton.co.nz) and pass on the video content to their overseas contacts.

The tour party is:

• Kylie MacKenzie, a Wellington-raised 36-year-old who is now a talent agent in Los Angeles.
o Bringing home her friend Angela Piccirillo, a filmmaker who has never left the US. The pair will give the girls from Sex and the City a run for their money!
• Ben Lowe, 30, a Southern Man from Dunedin, working as a stockbroker in Sydney.
o Bringing home his Aussie girlfriend Jacqui Benoit, who is a physiotherapist
• Nick Kruger, a Kapiti Coast boy, 29, is an Import/Export Sales Manager in London.
o Bringing home Australian partner Jackie Hogarth – they will live out their own version of Meet the Parents as Nick introduces Jackie to his parents for the first time!
• Hannah Churchill, an architect who found her way from Mosgiel to Shanghai.
o Bringing her friend Lei Wang, an Asset Manager in the retail real estate sector, who may scout for shopping centres to invest in.

Prize winner Kylie MacKenzie is enjoying showing her homeland to Angela, a first time visitor to New Zealand: "I'm so proud to be 'made in NZ', so the chance to show it off to someone who has never set foot outside the US is incredible.”

“I chose to bring the US friend who 'passed-it-on' the most, and think it’s fabulous that her first ever passport stamp will be from the Land of the Long White Cloud.”

“I can’t wait for her to breathe the air, eat the food, meet the people, meet A J Hackett! She works in post-production, so the real scenery and the natural colours are going to knock her socks off. There's so much beauty in New Zealand. If we get a cloudy day I'll just give her a bottle of New Zealand wine, and let her stare at the All Blacks for a while!"

The Recon Tour is now in Taupo, and will move on to Queenstown, before departing from Wellington on Sunday. See full itinerary below.

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FULL ITINERARY

Friday 9th July, Auckland
• VIP escort from flight, provided by Auckland Airport
• Auckland Harbour Bridge Climb with A J Hackett
• Accommodation in Auckland: Crowne Plaza

Saturday 10th July, Auckland
• America’s Cup sailing with Explore NZ
• Wine tasting and degustation lunch at Cable Bay Vineyards, Waiheke Island
• All Blacks vs Springboks rugby test match at Eden Park

Sunday 11th July, Auckland-Taupo
• Fly to Taupo
• Accommodation in Taupo: Hilton Lake Taupo

Monday 12th July, Taupo
• Ride on Huka Falls Jet
• Trout fishing expedition with Chris Jolly Outdoors

Tuesday 13th July, Taupo-Queenstown
• Fly to Queenstown
• Accommodation: Crowne Plaza

Wednesday 14th July, Queenstown
• Nevis Arc, with A J Hackett
• Rafting excursion with Queenstown Rafting
• Helicopter ride down Skippers Canyon with Totally Tourism
• Ride on the Shotover Jet

Thursday 15th July, Queenstown-Wellington
• Dart River Wilderness Safari, with Dart River Jet Safaris
• Fly to Wellington
• Accommodation in Wellington: InterContinental Hotel

Friday 16th July, Wellington
• All Blacks closed captains run and tour of NZRU headquarters

Saturday 17th July, Wellington
• Helicopter ride with HeliPro
• Activities Boomrock Lodge
• All Blacks vs Springboks rugby test match at Westpac Stadium

Sunday 18th July, Wellington
• Depart

About Pass It On
Pass It On is an initiative developed by Kea New Zealand to connect New Zealand businesses with the world using our global network of one million expats, particularly in the lead up to Rugby World Cup 2011 when global interest in New Zealand will be increased.

Visit www.passiton.co.nz to support the initiative by signing up and passing on the video content, which showcases the best of New Zealand. There is also nearly $300,000 worth of prizes up for grabs for anyone who signs up.

The following companies have made the Expat Recon Tour possible:
• Seasonz Sports Travel
• Air New Zealand
• InterContinental Hotels Group
• Hilton Lake Taupo
• New Zealand Rugby Union
• Chris Jolly Outdoors
• Cable Bay Vineyards
• Auckland Airport
• Super Shuttle (Custom Transfers division)
• A J Hackett
• Explore NZ
• Fullers Group Ltd
• Auckland Plus
• Huka Falls Jet
• Limousine Services Queenstown
• Queenstown Rafting
• Dart River Jet Safaris
• Totally Tourism
• HeliPro
• Boomrock Lodge
• Dynamic Tours

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