Tekapo magic captivates Asian travel writers

22 July 2011

Tekapo magic captivates Asian travel writers

A group of 14 travel writers from India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore and three AirAsiaX representatives spent three days in the Lake Tekapo, South Canterbury and Mt Cook areas this week (20-22 July) as part of a Tourism New Zealand familiarization tour.

Local activities included a mayoral reception, snow tubing, skating and hot pools at vAlpine Springs, Mt John Earth and Sky, visiting a Salmon farm at Mt Cook, a ski plane flight over the Alps, and stays at Peppers Bluewater Resort and The Hermitage. They also visited Terrace Downs, went jet boating on the Rakaia River, and had short stops over at Geraldine and Fairlie.

Cathy Hemsworth, Business Development Manger at Alpine Springs Lake Tekapo, said the visitors were spellbound by the scenery and sheer beauty of the region.

“They said they arrived with high expectations but they were well and truly exceeded,” Cathy Hemsworth said. “That enthusiasm will be translated into their stories that will reach a readership of millions in the highly prized and emerging Asian market.”

“Protocol is important in their culture, and the respect of having Mackenzie District Mayor Claire Barlow welcome them at Alpine Springs was greatly appreciated. The Mt Cook Mackenzie Regional Tourism Organisation provided excellent images and promotional materials to support the visit.”

“Trans-Tasman visitor arrivals have been on a slight decline since the Christchurch earthquakes but the Asian airlines have maintained their capacity into Christchurch, the gateway to the South island and this visit will give us a new wave of marketing to a key market. We know the selling power of travel features written by people who can express their genuine enthusiasm for an area, or share their personal experiences. They write for their own communities so they can make our area appeal to their readers person-to-person, generating an interest and curiosity in a place that might not otherwise be known.”

Cathy Hemsworth said she has already begun the follow up, and will use Asian social networks to highlight the area’s visual appeal which the visitors found so compelling.

“The potential for the region is huge. It will have so much appeal to the Asian and hot climate market which is now only one low cost direct international air flight away with Air Asia X and other airlines.”

“The Mt Cook Mackenzie Region is easy to access from either the Christchurch or Queenstown gateways, is crammed with a wide range of activities and has a myriad of well organised sightseeing options. The key to ongoing success will be to ensure operators continue to work collaboratively to provide a seamless destination, and to maintain and lift service levels, that way everyone will benefit.”

In the meantime, the new Magic Carpet ski lift at the Alpine Springs snow tubing park is whisking tubers up the slop in under two minutes. New thrills and challenges have been added to the slopes.

ENDS

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