Media Centre

Public toilets fail to clean up when it comes to hygiene
More than a third of the country's public lavatories have no soap and some even lack running water - a finding public health experts say could harm the country's reputation as a tourist destination.The Otago University study, published...

Last call for Dunedin's Captain Cook pub
The current owners of the famous Dunedin student pub, Captain Cook, aren't holding out much hope for its future.The pub is closing its doors tonight for the last time.Co-owner James Arnott said it was unlikely someone else will...

SkyCity convention deadline extended
The New Zealand government and SkyCity Entertainment Group are giving themselves another fortnight to cut a deal on the terms for the casino and hotel operator to build a $402 million convention centre in Auckland in exchange for...

Middle-earthers bewitch foreign tourists
Hobbits, elves and dragons appear to be luring tourists to New Zealand as fans await their first glimpse of the second movie in the Hobbit trilogy.Figures released by Tourism New Zealand show that international visitor numbers...

Coromandel: Meals on wheels
Under pedal power, Carlos and I took a short break to explore the Coromandel via the Hauraki Rail Trail. We aren't cyclists so were a bit hesitant as we set off, but were pleasantly surprised by how easy the trail was to ride.The...

Waikato: It's a cruisy life in Hamilton
Waikato riverboat cruising goes from Hamilton to The Narrows, providing a fresh perspective on the city and its outer reaches. The Italian Renaissance Garden within Hamilton Gardens.Mocking Hamilton is so passe. I am Hamilton born...

Cool runnings in bear country
"We're cruising at 75kph - if that's too slow for you we can do 120kph," says Bill Roberts. Quickly I reassure him that the lower velocity is exciting enough, as the sleek blue, 375 horse powered jet boat thunders across the broad...

Kia ora: Pukehina
Origin of name: "Puke" means hill and "hina" means grey or grey-haired, so one could assume Pukehina means "grey-haired hill" - but Hina is also the personification of the moon. If you know how the name originated, please let us...

Emirates on aggressive flightpath
Emirates president Tim Clark is not known for holding back, whether it be buying planes, building routes or taking a swipe at the opposition.The Brit who has been at Emirates since its launch in 1985 has helped build and lead the...

Thrifty airlines make bags of cash
Airlines make US$36 billion ($44.6 billion) by charging for services that used to be included in ticket prices and this is forecast to grow "significantly" over the next year.The International Air Transport Association meeting was...

Travel deal to promote Auckland
Auckland tourism leaders hope a new deal with travel agency Flight Centre will attract 20,000 more Australian visitors to the region.During the past year there were 707,000 arrivals to Auckland from Australia, of which roughly half...