Media Centre

SkyCity conference project back on Joyce radar
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has rebooted a deal with casino company SkyCity Entertainment.The Government is easing gambling regulations and allowing more gambling capacity in return for SkyCity building a new conference...

Euro visitors warned of rise in campervan thefts
Travel advisories have been issued in Europe that theft is on the rise in New Zealand, as more visitors tell of holidays ruined by criminals targeting campervans.But the victims and their embassies say they will continue to recommend...

Belgian tourists lose everything while swimming
Belgians Pierre-Yves de Ryckel and Amandine Tirtiaux were on their way to the South Island when they lost everything.Mr de Ryckel is now looking for work to make enough money to buy a new plane ticket.The couple had been in New...

Church comes to rescue of robbed Germans
Three German tourists were taking their last shower before leaving the country when they lost all their belongings.Tim Potschka, Igor Tows and Theo Jacobi parked their campervan outside the old Auckland train station for two hours...

Tauranga gets triple cruise ship treat
Giant cruise ships carrying thousands of passengers are an increasingly familiar site in the Port of Tauranga.Eighty-two of the mega-ships are scheduled to visit the city this season, up from 54 last season. Next season, 92 are...

Hot pool owners cop flak over food ban
Waiwera Thermal Resort is under fire for its new policy of banning people from bringing their own food and drink.The country's largest thermal pools resort, 35km north of Auckland, announced the crackdown on February 1, saying it...

Colosseum closed in rare cold snap
A rare snowfall blanketed Rome on Friday, forcing the closure of the Colosseum over fears tourists would slip on the icy ruins, and leaving buses struggling to climb the city's slushy hills. Other parts of the country experienced...

Off-to-Oz exodus at 11-year high
New Zealand recorded its biggest-ever net loss of migrants to Australia in 2011, underlining the appeal of life across the Tasman, where wages are higher, jobs more plentiful and living standards are superior.A net outflow of 36,900...

Tourists may face national park fees
International tourists could be charged to enter national parks under plans presented to Tourism Minister John Key.The briefing warns Mr Key, who is also Prime Minister, that Government policy, coupled with increasing demand from...

Auckland Airport opens campervan park
Tourists planning on seeing New Zealand from the comfort of a motorhome now have the option to spend their first night in the country less than a kilometre from Auckland Airport.Airport authorities have established a campervan park...

Auckland: Best places to fire up the barbie
Nothing evokes a New Zealand summer quite like a barbecue. And whether you're after the perfect spot for a big family get-together in the park or are planning a romantic picnic on the beach, plenty of council-owned barbecues are dotted...

Auckland: Exploring the city by bike
There's something to be said for cycling round Auckland on a filthy day: you can have the normally bustling Wynyard Quarter all to yourself.Not that it was planned that way. The idea was actually to take advantage of Auckland's...

My happy place: Mahurangi to Pakiri Beach
My happy place is close by where we live. The coast from Mahurangi to Pakiri Beach and beyond is full of indented bays, rocky islands, sandy deltas and tidal estuaries - my favourite kinds of places. The landscape varies from the...

North Island: Valentine's Day escape ideas
There's nothing like being back at work to make you think of your next holiday. And since most of us used up our annual leave sloshing around muddy camp sites or hunkering down with DVDs, why not take a long weekend and celebrate...

Howick: Diverse corner worth exploring
I lived in Howick until 16 years ago and, despite its rather sedate reputation, a drive back there confirmed for me that it's a surprisingly diverse corner of the city.It takes about 25 minutes to get to Howick village from the...

Parihaka: Keeping the peace
Now here's a good bit of information for you," Maata says with a wry smile. "Christchurch Cathedral was consecrated on the first of November, 1881. On the fifth of November, they had 1000 children in the cathedral and gave them...

Bay of Islands: All at sea
It was at a lunch gathering that someone mentioned the delights of an overnight cruise ship - the only one of its kind in New Zealand - in the Bay of Islands. My ears pricked up. This sounded like the perfect incentive to head north...

Travel website reviews can be misleading: regulator
Travel planning website TripAdvisor must stop claiming all the reviews on its British site were written by independent travellers - and therefore reliable - a UK regulator says.The Advertising Standards Authority said the claims...